Perceptions of seclusion and restraint by patients and staff in an intermediate-term care facility

Little of clinical relevance has been derived from research studies conducted on seclusion and restraint. Most studies elicit staff, as opposed to patient, views of the restraint event.

Content analysis, descriptive statistics of debriefing incidents (N = 81) following the initiation of seclusion and restraint from both patient and staff perspectives.

Patients and staff had varied views of the restraint incidents, but overall they were closer in their perceptions of precipitants and what could have been done to prevent the incident.

Debriefing incidents can be used as learning tools for staff and patients, to track staff and patient progress, and as a way to change the culture of psychiatric settings.