Correlation Between Reduction of Seclusion and Restraint and Assaults by Patients in Pennsylvania’s State Hospitals

Abstract

Decreasing the use of containment procedures did not increase assaults. Better leadership, data transparency, use of clinical alerts, workforce development, policy changes, enhanced use of response teams, implementation of dialectical behavior therapy, and discontinuation of the psychiatric use of PRN orders contributed to the change in use of containment procedures. A philosophical change to a recovery model of psychiatric care and services was the driving force behind this transformation.