Assessment of Knowledge, Attitude and Practice of Nurses’ Towards Physical Restraints for Critical Ill Patients in Orotta National Referral Hospital

Abstract

<i>Background</i>: Physical restraint can be defined as any act that avoids a person's liberated body change to a position of preference and, or regular evaluation to their body by the application of any technique, attached or adjacent to a person’s body that they cannot manage or remove easily. Inappropriate use of physical restraints may cause patients grave damage. Different studies informed that patients faced to physical restraints pass on due to pneumonia, constipation, and incontinence, as well as circulatory and respiratory problems. Critical care nurses should make correct decisions regarding use of physical restraints if they are to guarantee patient safety by the accountable nurse. <i>Aim</i>: the intention of this study was to assess nurses’ knowledge, attitude and practice; towards physical restraints use. <i>Method</i>: study design was a descriptive cross Sectional that used to assess knowledge, attitude and practice of nurses towards physical restraints in Orotta national referral hospital with self-administered questionnaire. Lastly data was analyzed using SPSS version 26. <i>Results</i>: the study was conducted among 100 nurses. 60% of the respondents were females and the median age of the study participants was 28 (IQR=6) years, with a minimum age of 21 and maximum age of 50yrs. Most of the study participants 31% had age of 25 or less years. Majority of them were diploma level and did not take any physical restraint related training 55% and 84% respectively. Except in recovery (12%) and adult ICU (27%) areas, the number of nurses in medical, surgical and adult was similar (each 20%). More than ninety percent (94%) of the study participants were not aware of the presence of guidelines regarding physical restraint in their work area. <i>Conclusion</i>: In this current study we concluded that, there was no correlation between knowledge and attitude and also between attitude and practice. But there was correlation between knowledge and practice. Those who have good knowledge can practice well. <i>Nursing implication</i>: By evaluating the current nurses’ knowledge, attitude and practice, this study will contribute recommendation on the frequent training of nurses on physical restraints and possible avoidance of it or safe practice.