title: Use of physical restraint in institutional elderly care in Finland: perspectives of patients and their family members.
abstract: The purpose of this qualitative study was to describe the use of physical restraint and the perspectives of elderly patients and their family members on the use of physical restraint in long-term institutional care. Data were collected in three elderly care units through participant observation and theme interviews. The results revealed that in addition to traditional means of restraint, such as restraint belts and raising the sides of the bed, the nursing staff used indirect methods of restraint as well. These included a mode of operation that promoted passivity, such as removing the patient's mobility aid and keeping the patient inadequately clothed. The results also revealed that the patients felt so unsafe in the nursing environment that they voluntarily locked themselves in their rooms. Another interesting finding was that patients' family members were active in restraint situations. The study findings provide information that can be applied in the development of long-term institutional care.
authors.affiliation: University of Oulu, Oulu, Finland. reetta.saarnio@oulu.fi
authors.forename: Reetta
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Saarnio
authors.forename: Arja
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Isola
mesh_terms: D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000368:Aged / Q000523:psychology*; D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D001294:Attitude to Health; D005190:Family / Q000523:psychology*; D005239:Fear; D005387:Finland; D005851:Geriatric Nursing / Q000379:methods; D006757:Hospital Units; D006801:Humans; D008134:Long-Term Care / Q000523:psychology*; D016294:Models, Nursing; D009735:Nursing Homes; D015404:Nursing Methodology Research; D009740:Nursing Staff / Q000523:psychology; D036301:Qualitative Research; D012107:Research Design; D012149:Restraint, Physical / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012307:Risk Factors; D017751:Safety Management