A Study of the Use of Restraints as a Nursing Measure

摘要

A descriptive, evaluative study was undertaken to determine whether physical restraints, as a nursing measure, were being indiscriminately applied to patients on a long term nursing care unit. Preliminary data were collected from all of the wards at the Veterans Administration Center, Bay Pines, Florida. The study was then limited to the Intermediate Service and one ward of forty-four male veteran patients. The average age of the patients was 73 year old. Various nursing measures limited their physical movements. Because of the number of patients consistently restrained over a six week period as non-emergency nursing measures, and because of the lack of a written policy and nursing care procedure, it was determined physical restraints, as a nursing measure, were being indiscriminately applied to the patients on a long term nursing care unit. Remedial measures emphasized were - increasing ward staff participation, and extending an opportunity for personnel to become creatively involved while seeking to resolve problems.