The University Medical Center failed to follow some of its own policies on documenting the restraint of patients, according to a January report from the Virginia Department of Health. Actions that constitute restraining patients can range from attaching patients to a bed to placing mittens on their hands.
Representatives from the Department of Health, investigating a complaint about the use of restraints, surveyed the Medical Center earlier this year. Their findings indicated that hospital employees were not properly documenting restraint information, including the frequency of staff checks on patients in physical restraints.
The Department of Health returned this month to conduct a follow-up survey, and as of this past Monday, found the hospital in compliance with its internal policies.
Due to lack of documentation, it is unknown whether any restrained patients were injured due to negligence, but Bo Cofield, associate vice president for hospital and clinics operations, said no patients were injured to his knowledge. He was unable to provide an exact number of patients who were restrained at the time of the Health Department’s initial check, but emphasized that restraints are used infrequently and only in cases where the safety of patients and staff could be at risk.
At the time of the follow-up survey, 13 of the hospital’s 475 patients were restrained, a figure that Cofield said is typical of its daily utilization of restraints.
“Any additional follow-up [by the Department of Health] would have to be in response to another complaint,” said Erik Bodin, director of the Health Department Office of Licensure and Certification.
The Medical Center’s accrediting body, however, will continue to examine the use of restraints to ensure the hospital is following proper protocol.
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