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Abstract

Physical restraint in the care of older people raises complex issues of clinical care, law and ethics. This observational study included in its sample all patients from rehabilitation wards for older people situated in two acute care hospitals in Northern Ireland. Over a thousand observations were made using a modified version of Magee et al's (1993) Research Observation Sheet. Most patients were subjected to some form of restraint on at least one occasion over the three-day observation period.