When a patient is restrained, what needs should the PCA ensure are met?

When a patient is restrained, ensuring that their basic needs are met is crucial for their overall well-being. Basic needs refer to fundamental requirements such as hunger, thirst, elimination, hygiene, and safety. When a patient is restrained, they may have limited mobility and the inability to perform tasks they usually would, making it necessary for the caregiver to actively address these basic requirements.

Providing for basic needs helps to maintain the patient’s physical health and comfort, and it is especially important because restraints can create feelings of vulnerability and distress. Addressing basic needs reassures the patient and helps mitigate some of the negative effects associated with restraint use, such as increased anxiety or agitation.

While other needs, like medical, psychological, and emotional needs, are also important, focusing on basic needs provides a foundation for patient care. Meeting these needs first can create a more supportive environment that may also help in addressing the psychological and emotional aspects later on.