Use of Restraints and Safety Devices

Welcome, future nurses! Pull up a chair. Today, we’re going to talk about a topic that sits right at the fascinating intersection of human rights, medical physics, and clinical safety: Restraints and Safety Devices.

Now, why do we care so deeply about this? Think about it! Taking away another human being’s freedom of movement is a massive, profound intervention. It goes against every instinct we have to let people be free. That is exactly why the use of physical restraints is a last resort intervention in nursing care. We only do it when the scales tip completely over to the side of imminent harm.

Let’s strip away the memorization for a moment and look at the underlying mechanics, the rules, and the why behind how we safely manage restraints.