Minnesota Security Hospital in St. Peter has been ordered to review its seclusion and restraint policies again.
The order was prompted by an investigation, which found that these tactics are still being used by the facility to manage patients exhibiting aggressive behavior. One patient with a history of violence was placed in restraints or seclusion 55 times; once for more than 17 hours, reports TwinCities.com.
Prior to the investigation, the hospital had implemented new employee training and reduced the number of patient hours in restraint or seclusion from 174 to 31.
The Minnesota Department of Human Services has vowed to eliminate the use of restraint or seclusion in all state facilities except during emergencies. Union representatives for workers at the hospital, however, claim that physical intervention is still needed to prevent injuries to staff.
