Post by Denise on Dec 15, 2004 10:30:11 GMT
The Veterans Health Administration (VHA) provides the necessary care and services to attain
or maintain each veteran’s highest practicable physical, mental, and psychosocial well being in
accordance with their comprehensive assessment and plan of care. Such care minimizes the use
of physical restraints in fall prevention. It is consistent with the VHA philosophy of individualized
care that addresses each veteran’s unique abilities, beliefs and values, health needs, and
personal choices while promoting dignity, personal freedom, functional status, and safety.
However, promotion of the highest level of physical functioning, including mobility, may possibily
increase the likelihood of patient falls. The VHA recognizes that every fall cannot be prevented
and, therefore, supports the use of fall risk interventions to reduce the feasible risk of falls and
fall-related injury occurrence. Physical restraints inhibit an individual’s voluntary movement and
there are no studies supporting their efficacy in fall or injury prevention. The VHA policies and
procedures supporting this standard of care are congruent with regulations and guidance
promulgated by the Health Care Financing Administration (HCFA) and the Joint Commission
for the Accreditation of Health Care Facilities (JCAHO). The VHA is working towards a
restraint-free environment across the health care continuum. The VHA guidelines and restraint policy can be accessed on the following link www.patientsafetycenter.com/VA%20Physical%20Restraint%20Policy_Final12501.pdf. An interesting document with useful information for restraint guidelines and policies.
or maintain each veteran’s highest practicable physical, mental, and psychosocial well being in
accordance with their comprehensive assessment and plan of care. Such care minimizes the use
of physical restraints in fall prevention. It is consistent with the VHA philosophy of individualized
care that addresses each veteran’s unique abilities, beliefs and values, health needs, and
personal choices while promoting dignity, personal freedom, functional status, and safety.
However, promotion of the highest level of physical functioning, including mobility, may possibily
increase the likelihood of patient falls. The VHA recognizes that every fall cannot be prevented
and, therefore, supports the use of fall risk interventions to reduce the feasible risk of falls and
fall-related injury occurrence. Physical restraints inhibit an individual’s voluntary movement and
there are no studies supporting their efficacy in fall or injury prevention. The VHA policies and
procedures supporting this standard of care are congruent with regulations and guidance
promulgated by the Health Care Financing Administration (HCFA) and the Joint Commission
for the Accreditation of Health Care Facilities (JCAHO). The VHA is working towards a
restraint-free environment across the health care continuum. The VHA guidelines and restraint policy can be accessed on the following link www.patientsafetycenter.com/VA%20Physical%20Restraint%20Policy_Final12501.pdf. An interesting document with useful information for restraint guidelines and policies.