Reducing physical restraint use in alcohol withdrawal patients: a literature review

Alcohol withdrawal patients experience symptoms ranging from mild anxiety and disorientation to severe agitation and hallucinations. The most critical of these patients are treated in intensive care units. Physical restraints are often required to maintain patient safety until symptoms resolve. The use of physical restraints is contradictory to nursing values and is unsupported by evidenced-based literature. A literature review was conducted to see what, if any, alternatives have been tested to improve patient care for this complicated patient population.