Abstract
Physically restraining a patient is demeaning and dangerous for him and contrary to current standards of nursing care. Here are some practical alternatives.
A patient in a New Jersey hospital is restrained in a vest and wrist restraints against the wishes of his family and without a health care provider's order, which is required by law. Facing a lawsuit, the hospital settles for $25,000 to avoid a lengthy court battle.
A 29-year-old woman having a severe asthma attack dies after refusing to go to a hospital emergency department for help. Two years earlier, she'd been restrained against her wishes and intubated during treatment for an asthma attack. Afterward, she began having nightmares about the experience and told her family that she'd never go to a hospital again.