International Journal of Nursing Studies
Volume 39, Issue 2 , Pages 147-156 , February 2002

The use of physical restraints as a safety measure in the care of older people in four rehabilitation wards: findings from an exploratory study

  • Róisı́n Gallinagh

      Affiliations

    • School of Health Sciences, United Hospitals and School of Health Sciences, University of Ulster, Jordanstown, BT37 0QB, Northern Ireland, UK
    • Corresponding Author InformationCorresponding author
    • ,
  • Rosemary Nevin

      Affiliations

    • Whiteabbey Hospital, Newtownabbey, Co. Antrim, BT 37 9RH, Northern Ireland, UK
    • ,
  • David Mc Ilroy

      Affiliations

    • School of Health Sciences, University of Ulster, Jordanstown, Co. Antrim, Northern Ireland, UK
    • ,
  • Fionnuala Mitchell

      Affiliations

    • Whiteabbey Hospital, Newtownabbey, Co. Antrim, BT 37 9RH, Northern Ireland, UK
    • ,
  • Linda Campbell

      Affiliations

    • Whiteabbey Hospital, Newtownabbey, Co. Antrim, BT 37 9RH, Northern Ireland, UK
    • ,
  • Ruth Ludwick

      Affiliations

    • College of Nursing, Kent State University, Ohio, OH 44242, USA
    • ,
  • Hugh McKenna

      Affiliations

    • School of Health Sciences, University of Ulster, Jordanstown, Co. Antrim, Northern Ireland, UK

Received 16 February 2001 ,Revised 6 March 2001 ,Accepted 6 April 2001.

References 

  1. Arbesman M, Wright C. Mechanical restraints, rehabilitation therapies and staffing adequacy as risk factors for falls in an elderly hospitalised population. Rehabilitation Nursing. 1999;24(3):122–128
  2. Brennan S. Dangerous liaisons. Nursing Times. 1999;95(3):30–32
  3. Capezuti E, Talerico K, Strumpf N, Evans L. Individualized assessment and intervention in bilateral siderail use. Geriatric Nursing. 1998;19(6):322–330
  4. Chalifour R. Implementing a nonrestraint environment. Canadian Nurse. 1997;93(6):46–47
  5. Cohen C, Neufeld R, Dunbar J, Pflug L, Breuer B. Old problem, different approach (alternatives to physical restraints). Journal of Gerontological Nursing. 1998;22(2):23–29
  6. Coltharp W, Ritchie M, Kaas M. Wandering. Journal of Gerontological Nursing. 1996;22(11):5–10
  7. DiFabio, S., 1981. Nurses’ reactions to restraining patients. American Journal of Nursing 973–975.
  8. Dimond B. Legal Aspects of Nursing. London: Prentice Hall; 1995;
  9. Donius M, Rader J. Use of siderails (rethinking a standard practice). Journal of Gerontological Nursing. 1994;20(11):23–27
  10. Evans L. Knowing the patient (the route to individualized care). Journal of Gerontological Nursing. 1996;22(3):15–19
  11. Evans L, Strumpf N, Allen-Taylor L, Capezuti E, Maislin G, Jacobsen B. A clinical trail to reduce restraints in nursing homes. Journal of the American Geriatric Society. 1997;43(6):675–681
  12. Hantikainen V. Nursing staff perceptions of the behaviour of older nursing home residents and decision making on restraint use (a qualitative and interpretative study). Journal of Clinical Nursing. 2001;10(2):246–256
  13. Happ MB, Williams C, Strumpf N, Burger S. Individualized care for frail elders (theory and practice). Journal of Gerontological Nursing. 1996;22(3):7–14
  14. Hardin S, Magee R, Vinson M, Owen M, Hyatt E, Stratmann D. Patient and family perceptions of restraints. Journal of Holistic Nursing. 1993;11(4):383–397
  15. Hardin S, Magee R, Stratmann D, Vinson M, Owen M, Hyatt E. Extended care and nursing home staff attitudes toward restraints moderately positive attitudes exist. Journal of Gerontological Nursing. 1994;20(3):23–31
  16. Harry A, Kopetsky D. Unrestrained pride (development of a protocol for a restraint free environment). Canadian Journal of Nursing Administration. 1991;4(3):12–16
  17. Health Advisory Service 2000, 1999. Not because they are old an independent inquiry into the care of older people on acute wards in general hospitals. HAS 2000, London.
  18. Hindmarch V. Elder abuse. Professional Nurse. 1999;14(4):249–252
  19. Karlsson S, Nyberg L, Sandman PO. The use of physical restraints in elder care in relation to fall risk. Scandinavian Journal of Caring Sciences. 1997;11(4):238–242
  20. Kuo J, Hogan DD. Use of physical restraints in medical teaching units. Canadian Medical Association Journal. 2000;162(3):1–3
  21. Lee D, Chan M, Tam E, Yeung W. Use of physical restraints on elderly patients (an exploratory study of the perceptions of nurses in Hong Kong). Journal of Advanced Nursing. 1999;29(1):153–159
  22. Liukkonen A, Laitinen P. Reasons for uses of physical restraint and alternatives to them in geriatric nursing (a questionnaire study among nursing staff). Journal of Advanced Nursing. 1994;19(6):1082–1087
  23. Ludwick R. Clinical decision-making (recognition of confusion and application of restraints). Orthopaedic Nursing. 1999;18(1):65–71
  24. Ludwick R, O’Toole A. The confused patient (nurses knowledge and interventions). Journal of Gerontological Nursing. 1996;22(1):44–49
  25. Magee R, Hyatt E, Hardin S, Stratmann D, Vinson M, Owen M. Use of restraints in extended care and nursing homes. Journal of Gerontological Nursing. 1993;19(4):31–39
  26. Marangos-Frost S, Wells D. Psychiatric nurses’ thoughts and feelings about restraint use (a decision dilemma). Journal of Advanced Nursing. 2000;31(2):362–369
  27. Matthiesen V, Lamb K, Mc Cann J, Hollinger-Smith L, Walton J. Hospital nurses’ views about physical restraint use with older patients. Journal of Gerontological Nursing. 1996;22(6):8–15
  28. Miles S, Irvine P. Deaths caused by restraints. The Gerontologist. 1992;32(6):762–766
  29. Minnick A, Mion L, Leipzig R, Lamb K, Palmer R. Prevalence and patterns of physical restraint use in the acute care setting. Journal of Nursing Administration. 1998;28(11):19–24
  30. Molassiotis A. Use of physical restraints 1 (consequences). British Journal of Nursing. 1995;4(3):155–157
  31. Molassiotis A, Newell R. Nurses’ awareness of restraint use with elderly people in Greece and the UK (a cross-cultural pilot study). International Journal of Nursing Studies. 1996;33(2):201–211
  32. O’Keefe S, Jack C, Lye M. Use of restraints and bedrails in a British Hospital. Journal of American Geriatrics Association. 1996;44(9):1086–1088
  33. Parker K, Miles S. Deaths caused by side rails. Journal of the American Geriatric Society. 1997;45(7):797–802
  34. Paterson B, Leadbetter D, Mc Comish A. Restraint and sudden death from asphysxia. Nursing Times. 1998;94(44):62–64
  35. Powell C, Mitchell-Pedersen L, Fingerote E, Edmund L. Freedom from restraint (consequences of reducing physical restraints in the management of the elderly). Canadian Medical Association Journal. 1989;14:561–564
  36. Ramprogus V, Gibson J. Assessing restraints. Nursing Times. 1991;87(26):45–47
  37. Retsas A. The use of physical restraints in Western Australian nursing homes. Australian Journal of Advanced Nursing. 1997;14(3):33–39
  38. Retsas A, Crabbe H. Breaking loose (use of physical restraints in nursing homes in Queensland). Australia Collegian. 1997;4(4):14–21
  39. Retsas A, Crabbe H. Use of physical restraints in nursing homes in New South Wales, Australia. International Journal of Nursing Studies. 1998;35(3):177–183
  40. Rubenstein H, Miller F, Postel S, Evans H. Standards of medical care based on consensus rather than evidence (the case of routine bedrail use for the elderly). Law, Medicine and Health Care. 1983;11:271–276
  41. Rubin B, Dube A, Mitchell E. Asphyxial deaths due to physical restraint. Archives of Family Medicine. 1993;2:405–408
  42. Royal College of Nursing, 1999. Restraint revisited- rights, risk and responsibility. Guidance for nurses working with older people. RCN London.
  43. Scherer Y, Janelli L, Kanski G, Neary M, Morth N. The nursing dilemma of restraints. Journal of Gerontological Nursing. 1991;17(2):1–17
  44. Stratmann D, Vinson M, Magee R, Hardin S. The effects of research on clinical practice (the use of restraints). Applied Nursing Research. 1997;10(1):39–43
  45. Strumpf N, Evans L. Physical restraint of the hospitalized elderly (perceptions of patients and nurses). Nursing Research. 1988;37(3):132–137
  46. Strumpf N, Evans L, Wagner J, Patterson J. Reducing physical restraints (developing and educational program). Journal of Gerontological Nursing. 1992;18(11):21–27
  47. Terpstra T, Terpstra T, Van Doren E. Reducing restraints (where to start). The Journal of Continuing Education in Nursing. 1998;29(1):10–16
  48. Tinetti M, Liu WL, Marottoli R, Ginter S. Mechanical restraint use among residents of skilled nursing facilities (prevalence, patterns and predictors). Journal of American Medical Association. 1991;265(4):468–471
  49. Tinetti M, Liu WL, Ginter S. Mechanical restraint use and fall-related injuries among residents of skilled nursing facilities. Annals of Internal Medicine. 1992;116(5):369–374
  50. Todd, J., Ruhl, Gross T., 1997. Injury and death associated with hospital bed side rails: reports to the US Food and Drug Administration from 1985–1995. American Journal of Public Health 87 (10), 1675–1677.
  51. UKCC, 1997. The nursing and health visiting contribution to the continuing care of older people. UKCC, London.
  52. UKCC, 1999. Practitioner–client relationships and the prevention of abuse. UKCC, London.
  53. Wells F, Brown D, Mc Clymont A. Development of a least restraint program-one hospital's experience. Perspectives. 1994;18(3):10–13
  54. Wilson J. Understanding Old Age, Critical and Global Perspectives. London: Sage Publications; 2000;
  55. Winston P, Morelli P, Bramble J, Friday A, Brown Sanders J. Improving patient care through implementation of nurse-driven restraint protocols. Journal of Nursing Quality. 1999;13(6):32–46

PII: S0020-7489(01)00020-7

International Journal of Nursing Studies
Volume 39, Issue 2 , Pages 147-156 , February 2002

Article Tools