Reducing aggression in psychiatric wards using Safewards —A Polish study

AbstractPurposeTo reduce the use of mechanical restraints, Safewards was introduced to a ward in a psychiatric hospital in Poland.Design and MethodsThree aspects of Safewards were applied for 8 months. The comparison time period was the same time frame of the previous year.FindingsRestraint use dropped by 24%, and the number of patients restrained dropped 34%. The duration of restraint remained at 2.8 days per episode.Practice ImplicationsSimple techniques aimed at promoting positive interactions between staff and patients can reduce the frequency of restraints.

Source: Perspectives in Psychiatric Care - May 2, 2020 Category: Psychiatry Authors: Jakub Lickiewicz, Natalia Adamczyk, Patricia Paulsen Hughes, Pawe ł Jagielski, Barbara Stawarz, Marta Makara‐Studzińska Tags: ORIGINAL ARTICLE Source Type: research