Restraint Injuries
Physical and Chemical Restraints Injuries
Under the Nursing Home Reform Act of 1987, staff can only physically or chemically restrain nursing home residents to protect the restrained individual or other nursing home residents. Additionally, a doctor must order and fully document this procedure. It is against the law for the nursing home staff to restrain residents as a form of punishment or just for convenience. Despite this, workers in these facilities continue to restrain residents illegally and unnecessarily, which often leads to injury.
Physical Restraint Injuries
Physical restraints commonly used in nursing homes include:
Wrist and ankle restraints
Hand mitts
Bed rails
Vests tied to beds or chairs
Nursing home injuries often occur when residents fall while trying to climb over bed rails. When a resident tries to get out of a bed with bed rails used in conjunction with other restraints, potential injuries include strangulation and suffocation.
Chemical Restraint Injuries
In nursing homes, psychoactive drugs are the most common types of chemical restraints given to residents who are uncooperative or restless. Using these types of drugs can cause a patient to:
Become confused
Become disoriented
Be unable to carry out the tasks of daily living
Become agitated
Experience an overall decrease in quality of life
Alternatives to Restraints
While restraints may be necessary and legal in some instances, ideally they would never be needed. The following are some alternatives to restraints that nursing home staff should consider:
Beds lower to the floor
Non-slip rubber mats next to beds
Concave mattresses
Reducing noise levels
Soothing music and calm voices
Make sure lighting isn’t too dim or too bright
Distraction and diversion therapies
Aromatherapy
Validation therapy
Reminiscence therapy
Alarms on beds and chairs to alert staff when a patient gets up
When Are Restraints Necessary and Legal?
Except in an emergency, such as when the patient or another person’s life is in danger, restraints cannot be used without the patient’s permission. In addition, a restraint may only be used if the doctor has ordered it to treat medical symptoms, no other alternatives are available, and the restraint helps the resident function at his or her highest level.
All other times, physical or chemical restraint is illegal, immoral, and dangerous.
Get Help from a Nursing Home Restraint Injury Lawyer
If you suspect that nursing home staff used chemical or physical restraints on a patient in Phoenix improperly, take action. The Phoenix nursing home abuse lawyers at The Husband & Wife Law Team, will not only fight to make sure you receive compensation, but will also help safeguard the rights of your loved one and other vulnerable nursing home residents. Contact The Husband & Wife Law Team, right away, for a free case evaluation.