ait Bottom line: No national benchmark for restraint use in rehabilitation facilities was identified in the NDNQI, but one study published data on prevalence (restraint use per 100 patient days) of physical restraints prior to implementing a reduction program in this setting.

Minnick AF, et al. Prevalence and variation of physical restraint use in acute care settings in the US. J Nurs Scholarsh. 2007;39(1):30-37.
Prevalence of physical restraint on 18 randomly selected days found a prevalence of 50 uses per 1,000 patient days.

Amato S, et al. Physical restraint reduction in the acute rehabilitation setting: a quality improvement study. Rehabil Nurs. 2006;31(6):235-241.
This prospective study measured restraint use before and after a multi-pronged approach to decreasing the use of restraints in a stroke rehabilitation unit and a brain injury rehabilitation unit. Restraint use before the intervention started:
Stroke Rehab Unit: 216.6 hours per 100 patient days
Brain Injury Rehab Unit: 1054.3 hours per 100 patient days

Kwok T, et al. Does access to bed-chair pressure sensors reduce physical restraint use in the rehabilitative care setting?  J Clin Nurs. 2006 May;15(5):581-7.
Reports on use of physical restraints by providing the percentage of patients who were physically restrained for some portion of their hospital stay.

Gallinagh R, et al. The use of physical restraints as a safety measure in the care of older people in four rehabilitation wards: findings from an exploratory study. Int J Nurs Stud. 2002;39(2):147-156.
Uses percentages of patients and not restraint use/1000 patient days.

Reviewed 4/10/2014