Reducing Procedural Restraint in Children Through Compassionate, Evidence-Based Care

Hugs and Drugs

This webinar explores how nurses can reduce procedural restraint by combining evidence-based clinical practice with compassionate, relationship-centred care. Drawing on the principles of the Hugs and Drugs campaign, participants will examine why children resist procedures, the physiological and psychological impact of fear, and how clinician behaviour influences procedural success.
CPD HOURS: 1

Course Content

Children frequently experience painful and distressing procedures throughout their healthcare journey. While many procedures are unavoidable, the distress experienced by children is often preventable. Despite growing evidence supporting trauma-informed and family-centred care, procedural restraint continues to occur in many healthcare settings, sometimes becoming accepted as "just part of the job". Yet restraint carries significant consequences for children, families and clinicians, including psychological trauma, reduced trust in healthcare and moral distress for staff.

This webinar explores how nurses can reduce procedural restraint by combining evidence-based clinical practice with compassionate, relationship-centred care. Drawing on the principles of the Hugs and Drugs campaign, participants will examine why children resist procedures, the physiological and psychological impact of fear, and how clinician behaviour influences procedural success.

Participants will learn practical strategies to prepare children for procedures, optimise the clinical environment, partner effectively with parents and carers, and use age-appropriate communication techniques that reduce anxiety and improve cooperation. The webinar will also discuss recognising when a procedure should be paused, escalated or approached differently to avoid unnecessary force.

Real clinical scenarios will demonstrate how small changes in planning, communication and teamwork can significantly improve the experiences of children, families and staff. The session also explores the ethical and professional responsibilities of nurses in advocating for the least restrictive approach while maintaining patient safety. 

Rather than presenting restraint as an unavoidable reality, this webinar reframes procedural care as an opportunity to build trust, preserve dignity and improve clinical outcomes. Participants will leave with practical tools they can immediately implement within their own workplace to reduce distress and promote safer, kinder paediatric care.

Why this Session may be Relevant to your Work

This session is relevant to nursing practice because children requiring procedures are encountered across many healthcare settings, not only paediatrics. It provides practical, evidence-based strategies to reduce distress, improve procedural success, strengthen family-centred care, and support trauma-informed practice while meeting professional and ethical responsibilities to provide safe, compassionate, least restrictive care.

Learning Outcomes

In this session, you will:
  • Recognise the physical and psychological impacts of procedural restraint on children and families. 
  • Explore evidence-based strategies to reduce distress during paediatric procedure
  • Apply trauma-informed and family-centred approaches to procedural care
  • Identify opportunities to advocate for least restrictive practices within their clinical setting.

Lucy Osborn

RN, GradCertPaediatricNg (CritCare), Research (Hons) PhD Candidate, FACN

Lucy Osborn brings experience across clinical practice, academia and national leadership, with a strong reputation for delivering engaging, high-impact education for nurses at every stage of their career. She is currently undertaking a PhD focused on nursing competence assessment and recently delivered the keynote address at the 2025 Australian College of Nursing (ACN) Nurses Forum. Lucy is also the youngest Fellow in ACN’s history — a distinction that reflects her commitment to leadership, mentorship and professional advocacy.