[Protective measures in a psychogeriatric nursing home]

In a psychogeriatric nursing home with 252 patients, the policy concerned with so called protective measures was investigated. Protective measures, like physical restraints, guard patients, who are mentally incapable, from physical injury. In 69.1% of the patients one or more protective measures were applied. For most of the patients this was a daily application for a period of at least three months. One hundred and ten patients (43.6%) were continuously exposed, during 24 hours a day, to several protective measures. It is concluded that this policy does not satisfy the official Dutch Governmental requirements for the quality of mental health care. Factors that cause the use of protective measures are discussed.