Abstract
The purpose of this study was to clarify nursing care provided by nurses for restrained elderly patients in ICU. The study subjects were 12 nurses. Data were collected through participant observation and semi-structured interviews concerning nurses' intentions about the care they provide. The collected data were qualitatively and inductively analyzed. As a result of the analysis, nine categories of care were identified: 【protecting patients' lives by using the effective restraint according to patients' conditions】,【helping patients understand their current condition】,【trying to understand the patients' thoughts and feelings that they are unable to express adequately】,【providing support to satisfy patients' desires】,【supporting patients' energy in order to recover】,【preventing complications and maintaining their life function】,【creating a calming environment for patients】,【maintaining the relationship between patients and their families】, and 【creating directionality for patients' recovery with their family】. These types of nursing care were given the meaning of preventive care to maintain restrained elderly patients' life function. It was considered that these types of care enhanced patients' motivation to recover and complied with the desire of the families of the elderly patients' under treatment in ICU.
