The Use Of Physical Restraints On Children: A Re-Evaluation After A Decade

Backround Physical restraint (PR), although controversial, is perceived as necessary for safe medical procedures. But also, this practice has important physical, psychological, social, ethical, legal and human rights consequences. In Turkey, pediatric nurses have been shown to use the restriction frequently. Aim This study aimed to re-evaluate Turkish pediatric nurses’ views and attitudes towards physical constraints after a decade. Method This descriptive and cross-sectional study was carried out in two major hospitals in a capital city of Turkey between June-December 2018. The sample of the study consisted of pediatric units of 2 hospitals where the previous study was performed. All pediatric nurses were included in the study. A questionnaire based on to the previous study was used (Demir, 2007). The questionnairre consisted of two sections: pediatric nurses demographics and ideas and attitudes towards PR, the consent obtained, PR types used and complications. Findings According to the study, nurses applied physical restraint to an average of 3.21 patients over the past week. This rate is lower than the previous study and this difference is statistically significant (p Conclusion Although there is a decrease in the rate of usage of physical restraints by Turkish pediatric nurses, important issues such as obtaining informed consent, informing and establishing protocols related to PR are still not at the desired level. Actions are needed to reduce the use and complications of physical restrictions including the attention of nurse staffing and education on the use of restrictions.