Using Restraints and Restrictive Devices

Course overview

Restraints are a concern in healthcare today due to the danger they pose to those restrained. It is recognized that restraint use needs to be decreased. The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services has set standards indicating the need to decrease restraints and seclusion. This course gives an overview of restraint use in the healthcare setting. It will discuss the history and types of restraints; falls and the use of restraints and bed alarms in fall prevention; a critical look at restraints, bedrails and body alarms; using mobility devices and wheelchairs to enhance (not hinder) mobility; increasing mobility, reducing restraints; and reducing restraint risks and alternatives to restraints. With this course, nurses will gain knowledge to help decrease restraint use in healthcare facility.