Falls and Restraints

This presentation provides an overview of falls and restraints in healthcare settings. It defines restraints and discusses their types, including physical, chemical, and environmental restraints. The importance of using restraints to prevent falls and injuries is highlighted, along with the potential complications associated with their usage. The presentation also explores popular methods of restraints, such as mittens, lap restraints, bed rails, abdominal belts, wrist restraints, and elbow immobilizers. References are provided for further reading.

Falls and restraints
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Restraints
definition
 According to the Alzheimer's society of Canada, Restraints can be
defined as devices or medicines that restrict the patients freedom or
movement.
 Its mostly used among violent patients who could injure themselves
and others as well as destroy properties.

Types of restraints
 The Alzheimer's society of Canada states that there are three main
types of restraints
 They include:
 Physical, chemical and environmental restraints.

 Physical restraints include devices used to control movement of the
patient. It involves creating physical barriers around the patient such
as walls(Scheepmans, Dierckx de Casterlé, Paquay, & Milisen, 2018).

 Chemical restraints are medicines used to restrict movement or
modify behavior.
 Examples of medicines include tranquilizers and sedatives
 Environmental restraints are those factors that change the persons
surroundings so as to restrict movement or freedom(Scheepmans,
Dierckx de Casterlé, Paquay, & Milisen, 2018).
 Example of environmental restraint is locked doors.

Importance of doing restraint
 Restraints have different uses or functions:
 They are used to keep the patient in still state during surgery.

 Restraints are also important since they control or prevent harmful
behaviors.
 Restraints are also important in that they can be used to assist in
identification of patients who are easily confused maybe due to
resemblance(Staggs, Olds, Cramer, & Shorr, 2016) .

 Restraints are also important since they prevent falls or injuries to the
patients.

Complications that are arise
due to restraints
 Despite the numerous benefits of using restraints, they are
associated with certain complications.
 The possible complications are explained in subsequent slides.

 Strangling or suffocation. Some restraints such as belts and ropes are
hazardous since the patient can strange and suffocate.
 Increased agitation and confusion. Studies indicate the restraints
contributes to agitation and confusion among patients thus they are
detrimental(Staggs, Olds, Cramer, & Shorr, 2016) .

 Skin injuries are also common occurrence due to restraints .This
mostly happens if the patient struggles to get free.
 It is therefore recommended that healthcare professionals should be
very careful when using restraints to prevent the above
complications(Staggs, Olds, Cramer, & Shorr, 2016) .

Most popular methods for
restraints
 The most common methods for restraints include:
 Mittens that are used for patients who scratch themselves or pull out
tubes.

• Lap restraint method is used for patients who
are at risk of falling or sliding the chair.
• Bed rails are used for patients who are at risk to
fall during transport(Scheepmans, Dierckx de
Casterlé, Paquay, & Milisen, 2018).

 Other types or methods of restraints include:
 Abdominal belt used for patients at risk of falling
 Wrist restraint and elbow immobilizers that are both used among
patients who pull out tubes(Scheepmans, Dierckx de Casterlé,
Paquay, & Milisen, 2018).

References
Scheepmans, K., Dierckx de Casterlé, B., Paquay, L., &
Milisen, K. (2018). Restraint use in older adults in home
care: A systematic review. International Journal of
Nursing Studies, 79, 122-136.
doi:10.1016/j.ijnurstu.2017.11.008
Staggs, V. S., Olds, D. M., Cramer, E., & Shorr, R. I. (2016).
Nursing Skill Mix, Nurse Staffing Level, and Physical
Restraint Use in US Hospitals: a Longitudinal Study.
Journal of General Internal Medicine, 32(1), 35-41.
doi:10.1007/s11606-016-3830-z