Document type
ArticleVersion
Accepted versionPublication date
All rights reserved
Please use this identifier to cite or link to this item: https://hdl.handle.net/2445/225423
Eliciting critical care nurses' beliefs regarding physical restraint use
Journal Title
Director/Tutor
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Related resource
Abstract
Background: Despite the reported harms and ethical concerns about physical restraint use in the critical care settings, nurses' intention to apply them is unequal across countries. According to the theory of planned behaviour, eliciting nurses' beliefs regarding the use of physical restraints, would provide additional social information about nurses' intention to perform this practice. Aim: To explore the salient behavioural, normative and control beliefs underlying the intention of critical care nurses to use physical restraints from the theory of planned behaviour. Research design: A belief elicitation study was conducted. Participants and research context: Twenty-six critical care nurses were purposively sampled across gender, work shift patterns and professional experience in five intensive care units of three hospitals in Spain. Data were obtained from a nine-item open-ended questionnaire and a focus group. Deductive content analysis was performed. Ethical considerations: Ethical approval was obtained from the hospital ethics committee. Participants were assured their participation was voluntary. Findings: Nurses framed the use of restraints as a way of prioritising patients' physical safety. They referred to contextual factors as the main reasons to justify their application. Nurses perceived that their decision is approved by other colleagues and the patients' relatives. Some nurses started advocating against their use, but felt powerless to change this unsafe practice within an unfavourable climate. Control beliefs were linked to patient's medical condition, availability of alternative solutions, analgo-sedation policies and work organisation. Discussion: Safety arguments based on the surrounding work environment were discussed. Conclusion: Nurses' behavioural and control beliefs were related. Nurses should be trained in alternatives to PR use. The impact of analgo-sedation protocols, relatives' involvement, leadership support and ICU restraint policies on PR practices need to be revised. Further research is required to explore why nurses do not act with moral courage to change this harmful practice. Keywords: Restraint Physical, attitude, intention, intensive care units, nurses, qualitative research.
Subject (English)
Citation
Citation
VIA-CLAVERO, Gemma, et al. Eliciting critical care nurses' beliefs regarding physical restraint use. Nursing Ethics An International Journal for Health Care Professionals. 2019. Vol. 26, num. 5, pags. 1458-1472. ISSN 0969-7330. [consulted: 13 of June of 2026]. Available at: https://hdl.handle.net/2445/225423