Question

1. A 77-year-old woman is hospitalized for management of her diabetes. She has a history of functional urinary incontinence and poor vision from the diabetes. The nursing staff observe her climbing over the side rails on numerous occasions at night end route to the bathroom. She is quite agitated during this time. The nursing assistant requests that you obtain an order for a body restrain at night to prevent her from falling out of bed. Should this patient be restrained to prevent injury? Would you request the order for a body restrain? Why, or why not? What other interventions could be tried before considering a restraint?

Answer 1

Restraining the patient with a body restrain may not be the best approach to preventing injury. Other interventions can be tried, such as a bed alarm system and night lights, before considering a restraint.

Step-by-step explanation:

Based on the given information, restraining the patient with a body restrain may not be the best approach to preventing injury. The patient's agitated state during the night could be due to her functional urinary incontinence and poor vision caused by diabetes. Before considering a restraint, other interventions can be tried to ensure her safety. For example, providing a bed alarm system that alerts the nursing staff when she climbs out of bed could be one option. Additionally, using night lights or glow-in-the-dark pathways to guide her to the bathroom might help reduce falls.