This Article  • Full text  • PDF  • Send to a friend  • Save in My Folder  • Save to citation manager  • Permissions  Citing Articles  • Contact me when this article is cited  Related Content  • Similar articles in JAMA  Topic Collections  • Patient-Physician Relationship, Other  • Alert me on articles by topic

Bridget M. Kuehn

JAMA. 2007;297:799.

	Since this article does not have an abstract, we have provided the first 150 words of the full text and any section headings.

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) have issued new regulations on the use of restraints and seclusion for patients in facilities participating in Medicare and Medicaid programs (http://a257.g.akamaitech.net/7/257/2422/01jan20061800/edocket.access.gpo.gov/2006/pdf/06-9559.pdf).

The new regulations require more rigorous and frequent training for staff on use of restraints or seclusion. They also maintain that a patient must be evaluated within 1 hour of restraint or seclusion, but allow trained registered nurses and physician's assistants to conduct the evaluation, as well as physicians and other licensed independent practitioners. However, if a nurse or physician's assistant conducts the evaluation, a physician or licensed independent practitioner must be consulted as soon as possible.

Patients and their families also must be notified of their rights with regard to care, privacy, safety, confidentiality of their records, and freedom from unnecessary restraint and seclusion. Each participating facility must have a grievance process in place . . . [Full Text of this Article]