Registered Nurses' Association of Ontario

Identifying Risk Factors

  • Nurses must assess on admission the potential for the presence of predisposing and precipitating factors that put the client at risk for the use of restraints.
  • Nurses need to understand environmental or non-clinical precipitating factors such as congestion in hallways, waiting time for an elevator at meal time, noise levels in the facility, relocation to new home or facility, exposure or lack of exposure to music and/or social activity, staff attitude and staffing ratios or staffing changes at the facility may trigger challenging client behaviours that put the individual at risk for the use of restraints.
Clinical Management
Promoting Safety: Alternative Approaches to the Use of Restraints
Point of Care Resources