Restraining patients

[1aCe3]

If it is a transfer from a place of medical care : A restraining order is required to be signed by (2) MD's ON location.

If it's a pvt : Police will do it.

I once saw someone use a sheet. Kind of a reverse mummification. Instead of having the sheet under the pt, the sheet was on top and was tied at the bottom of the stretcher. Sounds a bit iffy though. Apparently restraining is only when you tie around the pt's wrists and ankles (or at least what I heard a while back) I'd prefer to stay away from the possible lawsuits and get the heck away until the docs or cops are there.

[Just Plain Ruff]

our protocols are iF they need to be restrained then you do it. If my safety is in jeopardy I'll either jump out of the ambulance and wait for Law Enforcement or do the restraints myself.

I'm not gonna put my safety at risk for a protocol.

[AnthonyM83]

Mag light.

For peds, Mini-Mag light.

Mr. Tazer and Mr. Tazer Junior ?

[PRPGfirerescuetech]

Okay hot topic.. What is your standards or operations on restraining patients ?

Leather, kling, commercial, chemical ?....

R/R 911

No, yes, yes, yes

3 of 4 organizations give free reign, not sure of the 4th.

Leather is NOT Osha compliant kids. If its on the truck, throw it away, burn it, or please mail it to my house at this address...

PRPG Firerescuetech

123 PRPG Rd.

PRPG, PA 98765

Thanks for helping me help you, stay OSHA compliant

[DCMed124]

if a patient gets cranky, they get hog-tied and I apply O2 therapy (D cylinder to the skull). 'nuf said.

...he had the facial deformity when we got there, Doc. I swear.

[Ace844]

(Prehospital Emergency Care

Publisher: Taylor & Francis Health Sciences @ part of the Taylor & Francis Group

Issue: Volume 10, Number 2 / April-June 2006

Pages: 207 - 212

URL: Linking Options

DOI: 10.1080/10903120500541050

Relationship of Restraint Use, Patient Injury, and Assaults on Ems Personnel

Paul R. Cheney A1, Linda Gossett A1, Lynne Fullerton-Gleason A1, Steven J. Weiss A1, Amy A. Ernst A1, David Sklar A1

A1 Department of Emergency Medicine, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, New Mexico)

Abstract:

Objective. We hypothesized that the assaults on EMS personnel by patients requiring restraints can be correlated with demographic information, patient condition, and other scene information such as presence the of law enforcement. Methods. The study was a one-year cross-sectional study of paramedic restraint use and assault on EMS personnel in an urban area. A data collection form was completed by EMS for each patient placed in restraints. Study outcome variable was “Assault on EMS personnel.” Predictor variables included demographic and EMS call information, patient condition, law-enforcement related variables, and the paramedic's perception of the need for chemical restraints. To compare predictor and outcome variables, a multivariable model with odds ratios and 95% confidence intervals was used. Results. The study included 271 restrained patients over a 12-month period from April 2002 to April 2003. Seventy-seven (28%) cases were positive for assaults on EMS personnel. Multivariable analysis including 8 variables, indicated the following 6 variables were associated with assault on EMS personnel: time of day between midnight and 6 am (OR = 4.4, 95% CI = 1.6–12.7); female patient (OR for males 0.6, 95% CI = 0.3–1.0); violent patient (OR = 10.1, 95%CI = 2.3–48.2); patient injured under supervision (OR = 3.9, 95% CI = 1.1–13.8); arrested patient (OR = 4.4, 95% CI = 1.1–18.5); and perceived need for chemical restraint (OR = 2.1, 95% CI = 1.2–3.9). Conclusion. Multiple factors are correlated with assaults on EMS personnel by patients requiring restraints. By specifically targeting patients exhibiting these factors, EMS providers can help prevent injury to themselves. Patients not exhibiting these factors may be less dangerous.

[whit72]

Yes I have pretty simple policy on restraints.

If you do not have a justified medical reason for your actions. then see below.

1. If your are a threat to me or my partner your arse gets restrained. Whatever it takes. soft restraints, 3 inch tape

2. If you see fit to dicipline me for that. By all means have at it. (with pay please)

3. I would rather take a 3 day rip then risk myself or my partner being injured or worse.

4. I like to get the police involved but I dont have the time to dodge and weave until they decide to show up.

5. If you swing at me and the results of your actions dont leave you unconscious you ride with them.

Safety is my main priority fo my partner and me. If you deviate from that and you dont have a justified medical reason for it then see line 5

[mediccjh]

I believe in the power of chemical sedation.

[Lone Star]

Mr. Tazer and Mr. Tazer Junior ?

I took a pt in to a psych facility from a local E/R. The hospital staff had already had her restrained. While moving her from the bed to the cot, she became extremely violent. Needless to say...she couldn't move during transport.

On arrival, the nurse at the recieving facility DEMANDED that we remove the restraints. We informed her that the hospital ordered them, and that the pt was already violent. We were told that she didn't give a damn about the pt's behavior prior to arrival. I handed the nurse the keys to the restraints.

Once the leather restraints had been removed, the nurse got punched right in the face. It's amazing how fast the nurse asked for our help at that point. I thought seriously about telling her that I really didnt give a damn about the pts behavior since the care had been transferred to the recieving facility!

[Ace844]

Here's another link to a study on this topic:: http://www.naemsp.org/pdf/restraint.pdf

Hope this helps,

ACE844