A nurse in an acute mental-health facility is caring for an adolescent who is exhibiting destructive behavior. Which of the following actions should the nurse take after applying physical restraints to the client?

The correct answer is a. Plan to remove the restraints as soon as the client is calm. Choice A reason: The primary goal after applying restraints is to ensure the safety of the client and others. Once the client is calm, planning for the removal of restraints is essential to maintain the client’s dignity and to adhere to ethical standards of minimizing restraint use. Choice B reason: While offering snacks is part of general care, it is not specifically related to the immediate action required following the application of restraints. Nutritional needs should be addressed, but they do not take precedence over the assessment and potential removal of restraints. Choice C reason: Ensuring that a prescription for restraints is signed within 48 hours is a legal requirement, but it is not the immediate action to be taken following the application of restraints. The focus should be on the client’s current state and reassessing the need for continued restraint. Choice D reason: Monitoring the client’s range of motion every 60 minutes is important to prevent complications from restraint, such as contractures or muscle atrophy. However, this is secondary to the immediate reassessment of the need for restraint and planning for its removal as soon as the client is calm.