Good Practice of Debriefing for Secluded and Restrained Patients in Psychiatric Unit: Literature Review

Abstract

Context and Objective: Seclusion and restraint are the coercive measures and last resort for managing a patient’s aggression in a psychiatric setting. This brief review aimed to explore the essential topic, the timing of initiation, and the length of post-seclusion and restraint debriefing, and to prove a guide to the local clinical settings. Methods: The overview searched relevant literature in recent ten years from CINAHL, MEDLINE, Nursing Reference Center Plus, and Directory of Open Access Journals. A total of 284 articles were screened, and six articles were included and appraised. The data inclusion was broadened to the cited content matching our study purpose. Results: The debriefing should cover • Triggers and ascendants, • Feelings and experiences, • Barriers and facilitators to recovery, and • Learning. Speech coherency and mental stability should be considered in the conduction of debriefing, and it should be provided within 72 hours. The duration is generally ten to 15 minutes. Conclusion: The finding of this review should be considered and applied in a local clinical setting, to eliminate non-standardization and reach additional evidence-based components of the clinical therapeutic practice.