The Joint Commission journal on quality improvement
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Jt Comm J Qual Improv · Nov 2001
Case ReportsOutcomes following physical restraint reduction programs in two acute care hospitals.
Physical restraint rates can be reduced safely in long term care settings, but the strategies used to prevent wandering, falls, and patient aggression have not been tested for their effectiveness in preventing therapy disruption. A restraint reduction program (RRP) consisting of four core components (administrative, educational, consultative, and feedback) was implemented in 1998-1999 in 14 units at two acute care hospitals in geographically distant cities. ⋯ Efforts to identify more effective interventions that match patient needs and to identify non-clinician factors that affect physical restraint use are needed.