CARACTERIZAÇÃO DA RESTRIÇÃO FÍSICA DE PACIENTES EM UNIDADES DE CUIDADOS INTENSIVOS DE HOSPITAL GERAL.

Objectives: to characterize the physical restriction of patients in intensive care units of a general hospital. Method: quantitative, descriptive research conducted in intensive care units of a general hospital in 2019. The researchers observed eighty episodes of physical restriction in 33 patients. A structured instrument was used to collect the data, which were analyzed using simple statistics. Results: all mechanical restrictions were applied to the upper limbs with the use of bracelets, of which 77.5% were made of crepe bandages with surgical compresses; 86.3% of the cases had partial movement restriction. Of the total restrictions, 96.2% occurred in patients with a nasogastric/enteral tube, 67.5% in patients on mechanical ventilation; 53.9% of the cases the patients were under sedation; 33.3% had psychomotor agitation. There were only 5.2% of nurses' records and 42.5% of nursing technicians in the patient's health charts, however there was no medical or nursing prescription for the procedure. Conclusions: it was identified the lack of defined criteria for the use of the' physical restrictions. The lack of a nursing or medical prescription and low quality and quantity of records on the procedure interfered with the understanding of the justification for the use of physical restriction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]