Understanding the influence of nursing staff characteristics on the use of seclusion and restraint in the adult forensic inpatient setting: a systematic literature review

Seclusion and restraint use in health care is controversial. Such practices occur more frequently in forensic mental health settings than in acute mental health settings. There is growing interest in staff factors and their influence on such practices. The aim of this review was to identify and appraise studies that explore whether nursing staff characteristics, including age, gender, ethnicity and physical stature, influenced the use of these practices in forensic mental health settings. Eight electronic databases were searched to identify research studies published between 2010–2020. The search yielded 1085 articles, three of which fulfilled the inclusion criteria. There was no significant correlation between age, gender and experience and the tendency to use seclusion and restraint. No studies examined ethnicity, physical stature, seniority or role. The results demonstrate a paucity of research on nursing staff characteristics and their influence on seclusion and restraint in this setting. Such research may inform violence prevention strategies.