‘It’s part of the job, but it spoils the job': A phenomenological study of physical restraint
- 5 May 2008
- journal article
- Published by Wiley in International Journal of Mental Health Nursing
- Vol. 17 (3), 215-222
- https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1447-0349.2008.00526.x
Abstract
This paper examines mental health nurses' experiences of physical restraint in an acute inpatient psychiatric setting using Van Manen's descriptive hermeneutic phenomenological methodology. The aim was to understand the nurses' experiences of physical restraint. One overarching theme emerged from the analysis: It's part of the job. This theme had a subtheme of Control which was constituted by the Conflicted Nurse and the Scared Nurse. The findings suggest that mental health nurses are very uncomfortable with physical restraint despite it being taken-for-granted as integral to their role. The nurses experienced conflict and fear associated with the procedure and would prefer to utilize other de-escalation skills if it was possible. The main source of conflict related to the imperative to maintain control and the professional values of the therapeutic relationship. While the nurses could see no viable alternative in some situations, the paper concludes that while environmental issues impact on the practice of physical restraint mental health nurses need to practice it with as much care and humanity as possible.Keywords
This publication has 20 references indexed in Scilit:
- The Conceptualization of Physical Restraint as a Nursing-Sensitive Adverse Outcome in Acute Care Psychiatric Treatment SettingsArchives of Psychiatric Nursing, 2006
- On conflict, containment and the relationship between themNursing Inquiry, 2006
- Further thoughts on the process of restraintJournal of Psychiatric and Mental Health Nursing, 2006
- Staff and patient perceptions of seclusion: has anything changed?Journal of Advanced Nursing, 2004
- Governing the conduct of conduct: are restraints inevitable?Journal of Advanced Nursing, 2002
- ENCOUNTERING VIOLENCE AND AGGRESSION IN MENTAL HEALTH NURSING: A PHENOMENOLOGICAL STUDY OF TACIT CARING KNOWLEDGEIssues in Mental Health Nursing, 2000
- Nurses’ narratives about using coercion in psychiatric careJournal of Advanced Nursing, 1998
- An investigation into nurses' perceptions of secluding patients on closed psychiatric wardsJournal of Advanced Nursing, 1996
- Restraint and seclusion: a review of the literatureAmerican Journal of Psychiatry, 1994
- An attributional study of seclusion and restraint of psychiatric patientsArchives of Psychiatric Nursing, 1994