title: [End of a psychiatric era? : Impact on the use of mechanical restraints after prohibition of psychiatric cage beds in a regional psychiatric department in Vienna, Austria].
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Since June 1st, 2014 the use of cage beds, a physical coercive measure in psychiatric wards, is forbidden by Austrian law. The 3rd Psychiatric Department at the Otto Wagner Hospital in Vienna carried out a pilot-study prior to the application of this law and compared 6 months with and 6 months without the use of cage beds in psychiatric acute treatment. The investigation focused on the use of mechanical restraints, especially of 4-point-restraints at admission time.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study collected clinical and epidemiological data from the patients and analyzed interviews taken with patients and staff-members after the use of coercive measures.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The prohibition of cage beds was associated with a relative increase of the use of 4-point-restraints. Time spent in 4-point-restraints is less than time spent in the cage beds. A trend could also be observed by a decrease of time spent in 4-point-restraints. Data from the interviews showed that there was no preference by patients of either kind of physical restraint. They strongly urged for more personal talks and non-physical and non-pharmacological therapies during admission.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Team members required more human resources for the treatment of these acute psychiatric patients.
authors.affiliation: 3. Psychiatrische Abteilung Tagesklinik 19/3, Otto Wagner Spital, Baumgartner Höhe 1, 1145, Wien, Österreich. christoph.sulyok@gmx.net.
authors.forename: Christoph
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Sulyok
authors.affiliation: 3. Psychiatrische Abteilung Tagesklinik 19/3, Otto Wagner Spital, Baumgartner Höhe 1, 1145, Wien, Österreich.
authors.forename: Petra
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Weiland-Fiedler
authors.affiliation: 3. Psychiatrische Abteilung Tagesklinik 19/3, Otto Wagner Spital, Baumgartner Höhe 1, 1145, Wien, Österreich.
authors.forename: Sarah
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Schwehla
authors.affiliation: 3. Psychiatrische Abteilung Tagesklinik 19/3, Otto Wagner Spital, Baumgartner Höhe 1, 1145, Wien, Österreich.
authors.forename: Vera
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Pfersmann
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001317:Austria; D001513:Beds; D003068:Coercion; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007406:Interview, Psychological; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy*; D008875:Middle Aged; D010343:Patient Admission; D017060:Patient Satisfaction; D010865:Pilot Projects; D011567:Psychiatric Department, Hospital / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012149:Restraint, Physical / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D014600:Utilization Review
keywords: Coercion; Mechanic restraints; Psychiatric inpatients