Taping pillows together

Jensmom7, BSN, RN · May 17, 2016

There really isn't enough information her to give an informed opinion; had the patient already been medicated? Was his agitation related to delirium or to dementia? What is your facility policy on restraints? This isn't exactly the usual thing done to restrain someone.

More important, where in the world did she find 15 extra pillows? I've been in places that didn't have that many extra pillows for the entire facility, much less one unit!!

kalycat, BSN, RN · May 17, 2016

Sounds like a makeshift restraint. I would be interested to know the facility's restraint policy. Not something I've ever seen done - but then, we're not a "zero restraint" facility either.

Interesting.

Ps: we have 4 extra pillows in each room but that would have still taken some searching! [emoji106]

nursej22, MSN, RN · May 17, 2016

We used to tape bath blankets to the side rails for seizure precautions when the lone set of pads was in use.

I think we used to do it for confused patients so they wouldn't get their legs caught in the rails. Of course this was in the bad old days when it was acceptable to put the lower rails up.

Wile E Coyote, ASN, RN · May 17, 2016

Properly monitored, it sounds to me like the nurse reduced the chances the patient could injure himself.

Julius Seizure · May 17, 2016

More important, where in the world did she find 15 extra pillows? I've been in places that didn't have that many extra pillows for the entire facility, much less one unit!!

This was the ONLY question I could think of when I read this. What hospital is this, and will they share their pillows??!??!

Anonymous865 · May 17, 2016

I can't point you to any research, but my gut reaction is that a safety expert would probably not approve of this. When you use items in a way in which they were not designed to be used and/or jerry-rig something, you usually create a safety hazard.

In this case, you have 15 pillows on a bed with an extremely confused, agitated person whose hands and feet are restrained. If a pillow were to become loose, it could cover his nose/mouth. The patient would be unable to remove it.

If something did go wrong, I don't think the hospital would view this as being within policy.

Why would you need the pillows if the patient is restrained?

Anna Flaxis, BSN, RN · May 17, 2016

This is actually very puzzling to me. First, where in the world the nurse found 15 pillows, and second, what the rationale for this action could possibly be? The only thing I can think is that perhaps the nurse thought that the sensory perception of the pillows around the patient might help calm them, like swaddling a baby sort of? Just a thought.

kalycat, BSN, RN · May 17, 2016

I can't point you to any research, but my gut reaction is that a safety expert would probably not approve of this. When you use items in a way in which they were not designed to be used and/or jerry-rig something, you usually create a safety hazard.
In this case, you have 15 pillows on a bed with an extremely confused, agitated person whose hands and feet are restrained. If a pillow were to become loose, it could cover his nose/mouth. The patient would be unable to remove it.
If something did go wrong, I don't think the hospital would view this as being within policy.
Why would you need the pillows if the patient is restrained?

I missed the part about restraints being applied. Hmm. And I agree with you, this sounds sort of unsafe. We have padded railings and such for patients who were thrashing, but never used this particular method!

KRVRN, BSN, RN · May 18, 2016

Autistic? My first thought was that it's a pt that needs the sensory stimulation to calm down.