Background: The effectiveness of physical restraints (PRs) in the prevention of unplanned extubation has been increasingly questioned, and several countries have developed clinical practice guidelines for reducing the use of PRs. However, some countries, including China, have failed to establish their guidelines, and the adaptation of existing guidelines to local circumstances may be an attractive alternative.
Methods: Following the guideline definition of Institute of Medicine, the guideline will be adapted following the CAN-IMPLEMENT©. Guideline scope and clinical questions will be established based on an integrative review, retrospective study, and stakeholder interviews. The guideline's quality will be assessed by the Appraisal of Guidelines for Research and Evaluation II and Appraisal of Guidelines Research and Evaluation-Recommendations Excellence. A systematic review and meta-analysis will be evaluated by A Measurement Tool to Assess Systematic Reviews. The guidelines will meet the criteria of the RIGHT-Ad@pt Checklist.
Discussion: This study describes the proposed protocol for adapting clinical practice guidelines on PRs in critically ill patients. We believe the guideline will help health professionals, especially critical care nurses, deliver safe, high-quality patient care by reducing the implementation of PRs in China.
Guideline registration: The guideline has been registered at the International Practice Guidelines Registry Platform (http://www.guidelinesregistry.org/). The registration number is IPGRP-2019CN094, registration date 27-Dec-2019.
Keywords: CAN-IMPLEMENT©; Clinical practice guideline; guideline adaptation; intensive care units (ICUs); physical restraints (PRs).