Physical restraint is associated with deaths in nursing home residents. Further research is needed to investigate alternative interventions to restraint use.
this national study confirms that the use of physical restraint does cause fatalities, although rare. Further research is still needed to identify which alternatives strategies to restraint are most effective, and to examine the reporting system for physical restraint-related deaths.
Objective
To develop and prioritise recommendations to prevent the use of physical restraints among nursing home residents.
Methods
This study comprised two expert and stakeholder consultation forums using a modified nominal group technique and a follow‐up electronic survey to rank the final set of recommendations.
Results
There were 15 recommendations formulated to prevent the use of physical restraint among nursing home residents. The three recommendations ranked as most important were that: a single definition be mandated for describing “physical restraint”; use of physical restraint acts as a trigger for mandatory referral to a specialist aged care team; and nursing home staff profile and competencies are appropriate to meet the complex needs of residents with dementia and obviate the need to apply physical restraint.
Conclusions
Future studies should investigate the feasibility of implementing these recommendations and whether the proposed interventions reduce the use of physical restraint.
Implications
Implementation of recommendations to prevent the use of physical restraint may assist nursing home staff, providers and policy makers to deliver improved care that is more aligned with contemporary views of human rights.
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