title: Safety Profile of Children in an Enclosure Bed.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Pediatric nurses care for many children in the hospital setting whose behavioral challenges can impact safety. One intervention utilized to prevent injury and improve safety when caring for this population of children has been the enclosure bed. Scant information was found in the literature that discusses the use of the enclosure bed in the pediatric setting. The purpose of this article is to examine the use of the enclosure bed in the pediatric setting. A secondary aim is to identify the population of children where an enclosure bed was implemented and the safety factors associated with use of the enclosure bed.
  
  
  METHODS
  An exploratory retrospective chart review was conducted of 208 pediatric enclosure bed encounters in an acute care setting over a 2-year period. Variables included demographics, length of stay and bed use, behavioral medications, restraint and sitter usage, skin breakdown, fall risk, and falls.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Three categories of children based on cognitive function, no cognitive impairment, new cognitive impairment, and congenital cognitive impairment, were extracted from the chart review. Significant differences were found between groups of children and between safety variables observed with enclosure bed use. Children with new-onset cognitive impairment were more likely to incur falls, skin breakdown, and injury during use of the enclosure bed.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Use of the enclosure bed is a reasonable intervention in certain children to ensure their safety in the hospital setting. This information will enhance nursing knowledge related to providing safe and optimal care of this challenging population of children.
authors.affiliation: Author Affiliations: Clinical Nurse Specialist-Spina Bifida, Children's Hospital of Wisconsin, Milwaukee (Ms Sherburne); Associate Professor (Dr Snethen) and Biostatistician (Ms Kelber), College of Nursing, University of Wisconsin.
authors.forename: Eileen
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Sherburne
authors.forename: Julia A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Snethen
authors.forename: Sheryl
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kelber
mesh_terms: D001513:Beds; D002648:Child; D006776:Hospitals, Pediatric; D006801:Humans; D009741:Nursing Staff, Hospital; D011482:Protective Devices; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012449:Safety