Which law enacted in 1987 protects patients from restraints?

Which law enacted in 1987 protects patients from restraints?

• A. Nursing Home Reform Act
• B. Joint Commission Regulation
• C. OASIS C
• D. Katz Index ADL

Answer: (A)

This question tests knowledge about laws that protect patients’ rights and limit the use of restraints in care settings. The Nursing Home Reform Act, enacted in 1987 as part of OBRA, established that residents in nursing facilities have rights and that restraints should be avoided unless medically necessary. It requires a physician’s order for any restraint, mandates trying less restrictive alternatives first, and calls for ongoing evaluation and documentation of the restraint’s justification. It also obligates facilities to train staff and pursue safer options, reinforcing that restraints are not to be used routinely. Because this law explicitly created protections against unnecessary restraints in long-term care, it best fits the question. The other choices refer to standards or tools that are not laws enacted in 1987: regulatory or accrediting bodies, data collection tools, or ADL assessment instruments, none of which provide the same statutory protections against restraints.

This question tests knowledge about laws that protect patients’ rights and limit the use of restraints in care settings. The Nursing Home Reform Act, enacted in 1987 as part of OBRA, established that residents in nursing facilities have rights and that restraints should be avoided unless medically necessary. It requires a physician’s order for any restraint, mandates trying less restrictive alternatives first, and calls for ongoing evaluation and documentation of the restraint’s justification. It also obligates facilities to train staff and pursue safer options, reinforcing that restraints are not to be used routinely. Because this law explicitly created protections against unnecessary restraints in long-term care, it best fits the question.

The other choices refer to standards or tools that are not laws enacted in 1987: regulatory or accrediting bodies, data collection tools, or ADL assessment instruments, none of which provide the same statutory protections against restraints.