New year, new goals. Make your 2012 goal to be restraint free and join the more than half of Missouri nursing homes that are already restraint free.
There is a common misconception that restraints are necessary to secure a resident’s safety, but research shows that the risks outweigh the benefits. By actively refraining from restraints, nursing homes can greatly impact residents’ sense of independence and improve their overall quality of life.
Get the entire leadership team on board to reduce and eliminate unnecessary restraints. Start with the administrator, corporate office or governing body and medical director. Next, get your department managers on board; they play an important role carrying out your new goal. Explain why this is important and what it will mean for your home when you achieve this new standard. Allow staff to ask questions, voice their concerns, and work through them.
Put your new goal in writing! Post a memo by the time clock stating your new goal and why. Administrators need to sign it by hand and if possible, have all those decision makers sign it. It all starts with leadership commitment!
Use the Eliminating Restraints in Your Home Checklist to help you plan and organize when eliminating restraint use at your nursing home.
Leading Your Home to 'Restraint-Free' in the New Year
