Some months ago, I wrote a post in this blog pondering the possibility of speaking of humanizing Intensive Care Units (ICU) while we continue maintaining our patients tied.

In that post I shared several ideas on which we should increase our level of knowledge before we fully unleash. It is difficult to propose successful measures if we do not know our reality.

In this attempt to know the reality of use of mechanical restraints (MR) in Spain, the team working on the project “Safe use of therapeutic immobilization in critical care units: situational mapping, professional conceptualization and recommendations for clinical practice” are dealing with different methodologies to respond to a question perhaps too generic… What is happening in our ICU with respect to the use of MR?.

We try to get close to this complex and invisible reality which is the use of the MR (or therapeutic immobilization as is suggested in some media), and it does not seem possible without using the mixed approach of research, multicentre projects and involving all the actors (auxiliary nursing, nurses, doctors, managers,…).

With this integrator desire and from a Phenomenological perspective, we developed discussion groups (DG) with nurses, with striking results regarding the justification of use of MR, the location of them, the underlying problems which may arise in the use of MR, alternatives to their use…
Using the same methodology, we hope to have results in the next months about the perception that have other ICU professionals.
 

 

Simultaneously, we are carrying out cross sections to get the real prevalence of use of MR in our ICU and doing staff surveys to explore attitudes toward this reality.

From here just thank you whoever have already participated, without your generosity and selfless help these first results would not be possible, and encourage everyone else to participate in future DG and with the surveys of attitudes toward the use of MR that are dealing in some of your units.

With the help of everybody, we will be able to generate the knowledge and necessary changes to improve day care we provide to critical patients.

Let´s continue humanizing together!

María Acevedo Nuevo
Nurse of Medical ICU at Hospital Universitario Puerta de Hierro Majadahonda

Principal Investigator of the study: “Safe use of therapeutic immobilization in critical care units: situational mapping, professional conceptualization and recommendations for clinical practice”