Implementation of nonpharmacologic physical restraint minimization interventions in the adult intensive care unit: A scoping review

ObjectiveTo identify the elements informing the successful implementation of nonpharmacologic physical restraint minimization interventions in adult intensive care unit patients. To map those elements to innovation, context, recipients and facilitation domains of the integrated–Promoting Action on Research Implementation in Health Services (i-PARIHS) framework and to describe the outcomes of those interventions.MethodologyA scoping review of studies published in English reporting on restraint minimization interventions in adult intensive care units. We searched seven databases (MEDLINE, CIHAHL, Embase, Web of Science, Cochrane Library, PROSPERO and Joanna Briggs) from inception to 2021. Two authors independently screened articles for inclusion, extracted study characteristics and mapped intervention data to the i-PARIHS domains.ResultsSeven studies met inclusion criteria. Innovations comprised multicomponent interventions including education, decision aids/protocols and restraint alternatives. No studies utilised an implementation science framework to diagnose the baseline practice context. A commonly reported barrier to restraint minimization was a risk averse culture. Change was mostly driven by the external context (i.e. national regulations). Overall, nurses were the primary facilitators and recipients of practice change. Outcomes were changes in restraint incidence and prevalence abstracted from the medical record. However, no study validated the accuracy of restraint documentation. All studies documented an initial decrease in physical restraint use, but no long-term results were reported.ConclusionRestraint minimization intervention studies report nurse-facilitated multicomponent interventions and short-term practice change. Future restraint minimization research incorporating implementation science frameworks, interprofessional teams and patient/family perspectives is warranted.