Restraints use and falls prevention

The Health Care Financing Administration defines physical restraints as "any manual method or physical or mechanical device, material, or equipment attached or adjacent to the patient that the individual cannot remove easily which restricts freedom of movement or normal access to one's body. Restraints have the potential to produce serious outcomes, including physical or psychological harm, loss of dignity, violation of a patient's rights, and possibly death. Health care providers need to identify opportunities to decrease the risks associated with the use of restraints through preventive strategies, innovative alternatives, and process improvements to help focus on the patient's overall well-being, health, and safety.