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Decreasing Duration of Mechanical Restraint Episodes by Increasing Registered Nurse Assessment and Surveillance in an Acute Psychiatric Hospital

INTRODUCTION: The application of mechanical restraints is a high-risk emergency measure that requires psychiatric intensive care to assure patient safety and expedite release at the earliest opportunity. While current Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services regulations require trained staff to continuously observe restrained individuals, assessment by a registered nurse is required only once an hour. The experience of an acute psychiatric hospital demonstrates that more frequent registered nurse assessments can decrease duration of mechanical restraint episodes. AIMS: The aim of this three-part quality improvement project was to decrease duration of mechanical restraint episodes by increasing the frequency of registered nurse assessment and surveillance. METHODS: First, the requirement for frequency of face-to-face registered nurse assessment during episodes of mechanical restraint was increased from once every hour to once every 30 minutes. Second, the frequency of assessment was increased on half the hospital’s units, from every 30 minutes to continuous registered nurse presence during restraint. Finally, the remaining units adopted 1:1 registered nurses during restraint. Mean hours of restraint per episode were measured and compared before and after each practice change. RESULTS: Mean duration of restraint episodes decreased 23% in the first change cycle, 12% in the second, and 44% in the third. Overall, there was a statistically significant 30% decrease in mean duration of restraint episodes. CONCLUSIONS: Increased frequency of registered nurse assessment and surveillance can significantly decrease duration of mechanical restraint episodes. Nurses are encouraged to adopt mechanical restraint practice standards that provide continuous psychiatric intensive care by a registered nurse.