Points of View

Sallah, David

doi:10.7748/ns.6.21.43.s49

Cited by 5 publications

(2 citation statements)

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“…Seclusion continues to be used as a treatment option in the care of acutely disturbed psychiatric patients, despite considerable controversy about its use and appropriateness. To many mental health nurses, it is remarkable that this practice continues to be commonly used, given the contemporary emphasis on mental health nursing philosophies of humanism, individualism and the therapeutic nurse–patient relationship (Sallah 1992, Topping 1992). The lengthy historical debate surrounding seclusion is due to the ‘complex interrelationship of the issues that are constitutive of the seclusion dilemma, based on morality ethics, pragmatics, legislation and professionalism’ (Mason 1994, p. 54).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…1989, Muir‐Cochrane 1995). It is these very issues of control that appear most problematic in ethical terms (Miller 1992), particularly given the potential for misuse of seclusion (Campbell et al. 1982, Sallah 1992, Farrell & Dares 1996), with at least one author reporting that, in various countries, seclusion is used more for black psychiatric patients than whites (Fernando 1991).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Legal and ethical aspects of seclusion: an Australian perspective

Muir‐Cochrane

Holmes²

2001

Psychiatric Ment Health Nurs

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The debate about the appropriateness of seclusion as a nursing practice in inpatient settings in the 21st century continues, with powerful and often emotive arguments from those who view it as an anachronistic and punitive form of ward management, and from others who see it as a useful emergency measure to protect individuals from imminent harm. This is the first paper, however, to focus on legal and ethical issues in relation to the use of seclusion, with policies and practices in Australian psychiatric institutions viewed within the context of worldwide trends. The interplay of ethical principles and international mental health law has encouraged a move towards the provision of care and treatment of the disturbed psychiatric patient within the least restrictive environment, supposedly reducing the potential for the inappropriate use of control mechanisms. Nevertheless, current legislation can be seen to preserve the status quo because it legitimizes seclusion as an acceptable nursing practice, albeit within given parameters, thereby defusing the imperative to promote the reduction and abolition of psychiatric control mechanisms and seek new possibilities in mental health care.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Legal and ethical aspects of seclusion: an Australian perspective

Muir‐Cochrane

Holmes²

2001

Psychiatric Ment Health Nurs

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An exploration of ethical issues associated with the seclusion of psychiatric patients

Muir‐Cochrane

1995

Collegian

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An investigation into nurses' perceptions of secluding patients on closed psychiatric wards

Muir‐Cochrane

1996

Journal of Advanced Nursing

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Seclusion continues to be used in the care of acutely disturbed psychiatric patients despite often emotionally charged debate about its appropriateness within mental health services. Powerful legal and moral arguments about the use of seclusion emphasize an urgent need to critically examined its role into the care of mentally ill people. This paper examines the use of seclusion on closed psychiatric wards in the management of acutely disturbed patients. Seven psychiatric nurses working in two closed wards in an Australian teaching hospital were interviewed in relation to their perceptions of the role of seclusion. Data were analysed using grounded theory methodology revealing the core conceptual category 'controlling' and two sub-categories 'watching out for' and 'watching over'. Seclusion was found to be used as an adjunctive treatment in the care of individuals considered to be 'out of control'. Clinicians expressed comfort with the use of seclusion, citing a strict protocol that provided parameters for its use. Whilst expert therapeutic interventions were described by clinicians, they are contextualized within a framework of power and control - a framework that stands in stark contrast to contemporary philosophies of nursing care, providing impetus for a reconsideration of the use of constraining practices in the care of mentally ill people.

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Points of View

Cited by 5 publications

References 0 publications

Legal and ethical aspects of seclusion: an Australian perspective

Legal and ethical aspects of seclusion: an Australian perspective

An exploration of ethical issues associated with the seclusion of psychiatric patients

An investigation into nurses' perceptions of secluding patients on closed psychiatric wards

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