Understanding restraint minimization policy in the context of social marketing

Abstract

Purpose: identify target markets for restraint minimization (RM) policy, identify issues these markets consider in the decision of ‘purchasing’ RM policy; and examine the relationship between these issues and preference for the policy product. Design and Methods: 904 pre-test and 782 post-test caregivers working in 16 facilities in 4 states were surveyed. Results: Different caregiver groups have different levels of preference for the RM policy product related to self-interest, facility resources, and patient interests, as well as occupation, shift, and length of exposure to policy. The one area that consistently and positively influenced whether the policy product was perceived as valuable was whether the caregiver believed that she would feel better about her job as a result of policy implementation. Implications: Use of social marketing techniques in LTC may help facilities avoid problems associated with non-compliance.