Document Citation: 22 CCR 97333.15

Header:
CALIFORNIA CODE OF REGULATIONS
TITLE 22. SOCIAL SECURITY
DIVISION 7. HEALTH PLANNING AND FACILITY CONSTRUCTION
CHAPTER 11. ALZHEIMER'S DISEASE INSTITUTE DEMONSTRATION PROJECT
SUBCHAPTER 3. SKILLED NURSING SERVICES
ARTICLE 3. REQUIRED SER

Date:
08/31/2009

Document:
22 CCR 97333.15 (2011)

ยง 97333.15. Nursing Service--Restraints and Postural Supports

(a) Written policies and procedures concerning the use of restraints and postural supports shall be followed.

(b) Restraints shall only be used with a written order of a physician or other person lawfully authorized to prescribe care.

(c) The only acceptable forms of physical restraints shall be cloth vests, soft ties, soft cloth mittens, seat belts and trays with spring release devices. Soft ties means soft cloth which does not cause abrasion and which does not restrict blood circulation.

(d) Restraints of any type shall not be used as punishment, as a substitute for more effective medical and nursing care, or for the convenience of staff.

(e) No restraints with locking devices shall be used or available for use in the Skilled Nursing Services Unit.

(f) Seclusion, which is defined as the placement of a patient alone in a room, shall not be employed.

(g) Restraints shall be used in such a way as not to cause physical injury to the patient and to ensure the least possible discomfort to the patient.

(h) Physical restraints shall be applied in such a manner that they can be speedily removed in case of fire or other emergency.

(i) Supportive restraints shall be fashioned or tied in a manner which permits the restrained patient to release the restraint without assistance.

(j) The requirements for the use of physical restraints are:

(1) Treatment restraints may be used for the protection of the patient during treatment and diagnostic procedures such as, but not limited to, intravenous therapy or catheterization procedures. Treatment restraints shall be applied for no longer than the time required to complete the treatment.

(2) Physical restraints for behavior control shall only be used on the signed order of a physician or other person lawfully authorized to prescribe care except in an emergency which threatens to bring immediate injury to the patient or others. In such an emergency an order may be received by telephone, and shall be signed within 5 days. Full documentation of the episode leading to the use of the physical restraint, the type of the physical restraint used, the length of effectiveness of the restraint time and the name of the individual applying such measures shall be entered in the patient's health record.

(A) Physical restraints for behavioral control shall be used only with a written order designed to lead to a less restrictive way of managing, and ultimately to the elimination of, the behavior for which the restraint is applied. There shall be no PRN orders for behavioral restraints.

(B) Each patient care plan which includes the use of physical restraint for behavior control shall specify the behavior to be eliminated, the method to be used and the time limit for the use of the method.

(C) Patients shall be restrained only in an area that is under supervision of staff and shall be afforded protection from other patients who may be in the area.

(j) When drugs are used to restrain or control behavior or to treat a disordered thought process, the following shall apply:

(1) The specific behavior or manifestation of disordered thought process to be treated with the drug is identified in the patient's Unit health record.

(2) The plan of care for each patient shall specify data to be collected for use in evaluating the effectiveness of the drugs and the occurrence of adverse reactions.

(3) The data collected shall be made available to the prescriber in a consolidated manner at least monthly.

(4) PRN orders for such drugs shall be subject to the requirements of this section.

(k) Postural support means a method other than orthopedic braces used to assist patients to achieve proper body position and balance. Postural supports may only include soft ties, seat belts, spring release trays or cloth vests and shall only be used to improve a patient's mobility and independent functioning, to prevent the patient from falling out of a bed or chair, or for positioning, rather than to restrict movement. These methods shall not be considered restraints.

(1) The use of postural support and the method of application shall be specified in the patient's care plan and approved in writing by the physician or other person lawfully authorized to provide care.

(2) Postural supports shall be applied:

(A) Under the supervision of a licensed nurse.

(B) In accordance with principles of good body alignment and with concern for circulation and allowance for change of position.