Restraint Use and the Impact on Patient Outcomes
Academic Level at Time of Presentation
Senior
Major
Nursing
Minor
None
List all Project Mentors & Advisor(s)
Dr. Marcia Hobbs, DNS, RN
Presentation Format
Poster Presentation
Abstract/Description
Restraints are a part of nursing education and is considered an essential skill which generally requires competency checkoffs in most educational programs and patient care facilities. Restraints may be mechanical or chemical, however, the focus of this presentation will be on mechanical restraints and determining the best practice for patient safety in restraint use through the exploration of evidence found in research. Nursing actions that may have the potential to compromise patient safety warrants further investigation. Since restraints serve a purpose in patient care, the goal is for the hospital policy to better reflect sound nursing practice and provide patient safety without further endangering the patient. The current hospital policy provides sufficient guidelines for restraints in nursing care, however, improvements to the policy may help protect both patients and nurses. Areas in which the current policy will be expounded through further research include: when to apply restraints, how to apply restraints, monitoring the patient, documentation of restraints, and post-restraint evaluation.
Affiliations
Nursing
Restraint Use and the Impact on Patient Outcomes
Restraints are a part of nursing education and is considered an essential skill which generally requires competency checkoffs in most educational programs and patient care facilities. Restraints may be mechanical or chemical, however, the focus of this presentation will be on mechanical restraints and determining the best practice for patient safety in restraint use through the exploration of evidence found in research. Nursing actions that may have the potential to compromise patient safety warrants further investigation. Since restraints serve a purpose in patient care, the goal is for the hospital policy to better reflect sound nursing practice and provide patient safety without further endangering the patient. The current hospital policy provides sufficient guidelines for restraints in nursing care, however, improvements to the policy may help protect both patients and nurses. Areas in which the current policy will be expounded through further research include: when to apply restraints, how to apply restraints, monitoring the patient, documentation of restraints, and post-restraint evaluation.