Seclusion and restraint: what we need to know

Area of Science:

• Psychiatry
• Nursing Science

Background:

• Seclusion and restraint are restrictive interventions used by psychiatric nurses to manage patient violence.
• Despite widespread use, there is limited evidence supporting the efficacy of seclusion and restraint.
• Current literature reveals significant gaps in understanding these practices.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review the existing literature on seclusion and restraint in psychiatric nursing.
• To identify unanswered questions and areas for future research regarding these interventions.
• To highlight the role of nurses in studying patient behavior and the use of seclusion and restraint.

Main Methods:

• Literature review of studies on seclusion and restraint.
• Analysis of existing research to identify knowledge gaps.
• Synthesis of findings to propose future research directions.

Main Results:

• Limited empirical support for the efficacy of seclusion and restraint was found.
• Numerous questions surrounding the application and impact of these interventions remain unanswered.
• Nurses are uniquely positioned to investigate patient behavior and seclusion/restraint use.

Conclusions:

• Eliminating seclusion and restraint may be impractical, but their use warrants further investigation.
• Future research should focus on understanding patient behavior and the nuances of seclusion and restraint.
• Nurses should be encouraged to conduct studies in this critical area of psychiatric care.