Risk factors for coercion length at psychiatric hospitals in Israel: Relationship with staff

Abstract

Background: Coercive interventions continue to be applied frequently in psychiatric care when patients are at imminent risk of harming themselves and/or others. Aim: The purpose of this study was to demonstrate the relationship between the length of coercion and a variety of factors, including the sociodemographic background of patients, their diagnoses and the characteristics of hospital staff. Methods: This is a one-year cross-sectional retrospective study, including records of 298 patients who underwent restraint and/or seclusion interventions in male acute, closed wards in two psychiatric hospitals in Israel. Results: A higher proportion of academic nurses to nonacademic nurses on duty leads to a shorter coercion time (P < 0.000). The number of male staff on duty, without any relation to their level of education, also leads to the shortening of the coercion time. Conclusion: The presence of registered, academic female nurses, male staff on duty and the administration of medication before coercive measures can reduce the length of restriction.