The Psychiatric Uses Of Seclusion And Restraint

Seclusion as a concept is poorly understood and this is reflected in the literature on the topic, particularly from nursing authors. This has led to an emotionally charged altercation rather than academic debate, both within the literature and at conferences. But why bother learning about seclusion at all, particularly as it is used less and less within mental health? We would point out to those sceptical about the value of this book that seclusion is not only of interest as an intervention per se, but is valuable in reflecting a shifting ethos within care. For some reason, seclusion has been neglected; we believe that one reason is that it impinges upon widely held myths and beliefs within psychiatric practice. Questioning about seclusion uncovers uncomfortable facts and assumptions concerning the values underpinning today's mental health care approaches. Such uncomfortable questioning is often avoided for safer research pursuits. Also, we hold that this book is necessary in examining issues pertaining to seclusion practice. There is a gap within nursing knowledge in so far as seclusion is concerned, as our chapter on education upholds. Yet inquiries and litigation have highlighted the fact that seclusion practice must be more clearly understood as an intervention. At present, such understanding is erratic and far from useful in providing a higher standard of care. Practitioners need to make informed decisions regarding seclu sion, and this book aims to provide the necessary information on which to base these decisions.

Psychiatric-mental health nursing has many years’ history of caring for persons in psychiatric clinical organizations. Currently, nurses serve as direct care providers as well as unit-based and executive-level administrators. The ultimate responsibility of nurses is to maintain the safety of both patients and themselves during the hospitalization period and maintain standards of care in the day-to-day treatment of individuals. Accordingly, seclusion and restraint are among the techniques that psychiatric nurses believe in theirobligation for managing aggressive patients in order to prevent injury and reduce agitation. Therefore, many studies concluded that this practice was not grounded in research that supported its therapeutic efficacy. This book was written based on two conducted studies to provide an evidence-based practice related to nurses’ perceptions and decisionsversus patients’ opinions and preferences concerning the use of these coercive measures. Accordingly, pieces of evidence from those studies concluded and supported a sustained commitment to the reduction and hopefully the ultimate elimination of seclusion and restraint, especially during the management of behavioral emergencies.

When he was twenty-four years old, Clifford Whittingham Beers was interred in a mental asylum. He remained there for three years, battling his mental illness. In his autobiography, A Mind That Found Itself, he recounts the civil war that took place in his mind. The publication of this book in 1908 caused huge public outcry and began an inquiry into the state of mental health care. It contributed significantly to the beginnings of the modern mental health movement. As part of our mission to publish great works of literary Fiction and nonFiction, Sheba Blake Publishing Corp. is extremely dedicated to bringing to the forefront the amazing works of long dead and truly talented authors.