UT-Harris
County Psychiatric Center
Nursing
Procedures
Nursing
Harris County Psychiatric Center: Office Administration
On occasion, modification of physical movements may be necessary to protect patients from physical harm
geri-chair, ambulate, seclusion/restraint checklist
The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston
Date
of Last Review: 5/19/08
SME: Associate Director of Nursing
On occasion, modification of physical movements may be
necessary to protect patients from physical harm.
Procedure:
The use of the Geri-Chair shall require clinical
justification, by the physician or registered nurse and shall be utilized only
when less restrictive interventions have failed.
The Geri-Chair shall never be used as punishment,
aversive conditioning, or for the convenience of staff.
The physician, if present, shall assess the patient
prior to entering the order for the use of the Geri-Chair. If not, the MD must conduct a fact-to-face
assessment of the patient within an hour of being placed in the Geri
Chair. A phone order shall be signed by
the physician within twenty-four hours of the order. All physician's orders for use of the Geri-Chair shall be
time-limited (not to exceed 4 hours).
The patient must not be restrained any longer than is absolutely
necessary.
Patients in Geri-Chairs must remain in the day area
clearly visible to all staff. The
patient in a Geri-Chair shall be monitored closely with documentation every 15
minutes on the Seclusion/Restraint
Checklist. Documentation regarding the use of the Geri-Chair should be captured on the Seclusion/Restraint Nursing Notes.
In the event a patient is released from the Geri-Chair
and requires being placed back in the chair, a new order must be obtained.
A patient in a Geri-Chair must be ambulated (when
possible) or exercised, offered water and the use of the restroom every 2
hours. Meals and nourishment should be
offered at the regularly scheduled times.
Related
Standards: