Sammanfattning
As part of the Danish national trial of belt-restraint-free wards, the Psychiatric Centre at Ballerup Hospital (PCB) implemented cognitive training and an intervention team (IVT). These initiatives resulted in significantly reduced use of belt restraints. They also benefited nursing in intensive psychiatric wards in the form of new procedures and methods.
The aim of the cognitive training was to increase cognitive, de-escalation and communicative skills among nurses, care assistants and physiotherapists on secure wards.
IVT offers assistance in escalated situations in the form of on-the-spot second opinions, peer-sparring upon admission of patients with a prior history of detainment, switching of the patient contact, and structured timeouts.
The initiatives were evaluated via qualitative interviews, questionnaires regarding the quality of the training, stress and job satisfaction, audit and data regarding the use of physical restraints and acute sedation.
These initiatives have contributed to a statistically significant reduction in the use of belt restraints.