Nurses’ opinions regarding patient safety in connection with the use of restraints in patients in Czech hospitals

This research survey was aimed at identifying the opinions of nurses regarding the issue of patient safety in the use of restraints on patients in hospitals in the Czech Republic. The research was designed as a sociological study and was accomplished through the technique of a questionnaire survey using an interviewer. The sample group of nurses included nurses working in shifts on the hospital wards and was based on the needs of the project and the methodology of the Institute of Health Information and Statistics of the Czech Republic. The entire sample consisted of 772 nurses. Most nurses considered the likelihood of an injury to the patient in the use of means of restraint (specifically when strapping the patient) to be negligible (48%) and low (36.9%). Nurses working in surgical and medical wards reported a higher likelihood of patient injuries during restriction while bedridden than nurses working in other departments. The existence of a standard or regulation that would regulate the procedure for the use of restraints, if a patient is restless, aggressive or at risk of self-harm was confirmed by 91.3% of nurses. Immobilization and restraint in justifiable cases in surgeries are carried out by 65.5% of nurses. To prevent complications connected with the use of restraints, we consider continual training sessions and education of medical personnel important in connection with the use of restraints and auditing in maintaining standards of nursing care and the prevention of complications associated with the use of restrictive procedures, and then using these measures only in necessary and justified cases.