Restraint reduction reduces serious injuries among nursing home residents

OBJECTIVES: To describe how removing physical restraints affected injuries in nursing home settings. DESIGN: A 2-year prospective study of an educational intervention for physi cal restraint reduction. SETTING: Sixteen diverse nursing homes with 2075 beds in California, Michig an, New York, and North Carolina. PARTICIPANTS: Study A: 859 residents who were physically restrained at the onset of the intervention on October 1, 1991. Study B: all residents who oc cupied the 2075 beds in the 16 facilities 3 months before the intervention and 3 months after its completion. INTERVENTION: Educational program for nursing home staff followed by quarte rly site consultations to participating nursing homes. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Rate of physical restraint use and injuries. RESULTS: Study A: Serious injuries declined significantly among the 859 res idents restrained initially when restraint orders were discontinued (chi(2) = 6.2, P = .013). Study B: During the intervention period, physical restra int use among the 2075 residents decreased from 41% to 4%, a 90% reduction. The decrease in the percentage of injuries of moderate to serious severity was significant (i.e., 7.5% vs 4.4%, P2-tail = .0004) as was the rate of m oderate and serious injuries combined (Rate Ratio = 1.580, P2-tail = .0033) . CONCLUSIONS: A substantial decrease in restraint use occurred without an in crease in serious injuries. Although minor injuries and falls increased, re straint-free care is safe when a comprehensive assessment is done and restr aint alternatives are used.