An exploratory descriptive design was used to describe the differences in reported incidents, falls, and proportion of falls with serious injuries before, during transition, and after a nursing home became restraint-free. The setting was a 60-bed nursing home in rural northwestern United States. Monthly and quarterly incident report summaries for the months of August, 1989, through April, 1991, were retrospectively reviewed to describe frequencies of incidents, falls, types of falls, and serious injuries from falls. Data analysis included paired t-tests to describe significant increases in incidents and falls after the facility became restraint-free, but a paired z-test found no significant difference in the proportion of serious injuries from falls. These study findings were consistent with the literature. The results of this study offer nurses in long term care an opportunity to utilize alternatives to physical restraints, thereby enhancing the dignity of their elderly residents.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:arizona.edu/oai:arizona.openrepository.com:10150/278182 |
| Date | January 1992 |
| Creators | Walker, Rebekah Schaller, 1952- |
| Contributors | Van Ort, Suzanne |
| Publisher | The University of Arizona. |
| Source Sets | University of Arizona |
| Language | en_US |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | text, Thesis-Reproduction (electronic) |
| Rights | Copyright © is held by the author. Digital access to this material is made possible by the University Libraries, University of Arizona. Further transmission, reproduction or presentation (such as public display or performance) of protected items is prohibited except with permission of the author. |
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