§ 59-29b77 — Restraints; seclusion

(a) Restraints or seclusion shall not be applied to a patient unless it is determined by the head of the treatment facility or a physician or psychologist to be necessary to prevent immediate substantial bodily injury to the patient or others and that other alternative methods to prevent such injury are not sufficient to accomplish this purpose. Restraint or seclusion shall never be used as a punishment or for the convenience of staff. The extent of the restraint or seclusion applied to the patient shall be the least restrictive measure necessary to prevent such injury to the patient or others, and the use of restraint or seclusion in a treatment facility shall not exceed 3 hours without medical reevaluation, except that such medical reevaluation shall not be required, unless necessary, between the hours of 12:00 midnight and 8:00 a.m. When restraints or seclusion are applied, there shall be monitoring of the patient's condition at a frequency determined by the treating physician or psychologist, which shall be no less than once per each 15 minutes. The head of the treatment facility or a physician or psychologist shall sign a statement explaining the treatment necessity for the use of any restraint or seclusion and shall make such statement a part of the permanent treatment record of the patient.
(b) The provisions of subsection (a) shall not prevent, for a period not exceeding 2 hours without review and approval thereof by the head of the treatment facility or a physician or psychologist:
(1) The use of such restraints as necessary for a patient who is likely to cause physical injury to self or others without the use of such restraints;
(2) the use of restraints when needed primarily for examination or treatment or to insure the healing process; or
(3) the use of seclusion as part of a treatment methodology that calls for time out when the patient is refusing to participate in a treatment or has become disruptive of a treatment process.
(c) "Restraints" means the application of any devices, other than human force alone, to any part of the body of the patient for the purpose of preventing the patient from causing injury to self or others.
(d) "Seclusion" means the placement of a patient, alone, in a room, where the patient's freedom to leave is restricted and where the patient is not under continuous observation.

Legislative History

L. 1998, ch. 134, § 31; July 1.