Safety Alternatives to Restraints

What Act asks healthcare settings to consider alternative approaches to restraints?

What are three examples of restraints?

A restraint can be removed by the person without effort.

A locked room can be considered a restraint.

Give three examples of what can be done to avoid the use of a restraint.

How can you make a person's room safe when they are at risk of falling out of bed?

Developing a routine by placing objects and furniture in the same place can be helpful in avoiding restraints.

Restraints should only be used as a last resort and for the shortest possible time.

What are the four things that a healthcare team must do when a person is restrained?

A person who is at risk for the use of a restraint should talk to the health care team about alternative restraint options.

If a person cannot provide consent for a restraint, their family or substitute decision maker must provide consent.

Restraints can never be used in an emergency situation.

Promoting Safety: Alternative Approaches to Restraints

Ontario's Patient Restraints Minimization Act prioritizes alternative approaches to restraints, only using them as a last resort when a person is at risk of harming themselves or others.
Restraints are defined as anything that restricts a person's movement, including objects placed near the body, limiting movement to a specific area, or medications that control behavior.

Avoiding Restraint Use

Engage the person in activities they enjoy, like watching TV or listening to music.
Accompany the person when they need to use the bathroom.
Ensure the person's environment is safe from falls, by lowering the bed, ensuring adequate lighting, and keeping furniture in consistent placements.
Establish a daily routine.
Encourage visits from friends or family to provide emotional support.
Use alarms to alert caregivers of movements.

Restraint Risks

Individuals with illnesses, injuries (especially brain injuries), confusion, wandering habits, or fear of necessary medical procedures (like needles) may be at risk of restraint.
Restraints can cause restlessness, agitation, injury risk from falls increasing, skin breakdown and sometimes death.

Necessary Restraint Use

A doctor's written order is required.
The person, and when able, their family, must be involved in the decision-making process.
If the person cannot consent, family or legal guardians must consent, unless an emergency situation prevents this.
Restraints should be used for the shortest possible time and immediately removed when it is safe.
The least restrictive type of restraint should be used.
Healthcare professionals should constantly monitor the person's safety and promptly remove the restraint when possible.

Seeking Help

Contact healthcare staff (nurses, doctors) to discuss concerns about restraints and explore alternatives.
Patients' values and preferences should be considered when making decisions regarding restraints.

Explore alternative approaches to patient restraints as outlined in Ontario's Patient Restraints Minimization Act. This quiz will cover strategies to promote safety and well-being without the use of physical restraints, emphasizing engagement and environmental safety.