Sensory modulation for seclusion reduction

On this page:

• Current focus on sensory modulation
• Implementation workshops
• New Zealand research into the effectiveness of sensory modulation
• More information

See the background to sensory modulation page for previous seclusion reduction project work.

Current focus on sensory modulation

The current Te Pou work Seclusion: Time for change, is focused on helping acute inpatient clinicians implement sensory modulation. Sensory modulation denotes a range of prevention tools identified in the Six Core Strategies© advocated by the US National Association of State Mental Health Program Directors (NASMHPD), to help limit the use of seclusion and restraint. Te Pou has been involved in research evaluating the effectiveness of sensory modulation; while this evaluation continues, emerging results suggest that sensory modulation is a very useful, easy to learn suite of skills that  is well considered by service users, and that supports clinicians to utilise other best practices.

Implementation workshops

A number of  New Zealand mental health services are using sensory modulation in acute or other mental health services, while others have expressed an interest in introducing sensory modulation. Feedback from the mental health sector indicates that further advice and guidelines in the clinical implementation of sensory modulation is needed. These include the best-use rooms or tools; where to set up rooms; which clinicians should make sensory assessments and when;  which tools to use with which service users; how to manage infection control; and how policies should be written.

Te Pou has been developing an implementation package for use by district health boards (DHBs). The package includes an online introduction that describes the physiological and clinical evidence base of sensory modulation. This introduction precedes a two-day face to face workshop that focuses on the practicalities of implementation, including:

• a 'hands-on' approach to understanding and using the tools and sensory modulation rooms in the clinical setting
• undertaking personal safety assessments with service users (and how these fit into current nursing assessments)
• determining how to intervene with people presenting with different needs
• writing guidelines and policies for sensory modulation.

The implementation package was trialled by 25 nurses and occupational therapists from Canterbury DHB on 5-6 July 2010, facilitated by Vanessa van Pomeren of Northland DHB. Feedback from the workshop was very positive, with clinicians enthusiastic about the training and the potential use of sensory modulation as a clinical intervention. Some minor changes to the workshop are being made in response to suggestions from attendees, meaning the workshop will be available to other interested DHBs by the end of August 2010. Details about the workshops will be made available on this website, please check back here closer to the time.

New Zealand research into the effectiveness of sensory modulation

Te Pou is involved in ongoing research into the effectiveness of sensory modulation. The background to this research can be found here.

For more information

Contact  Tony Farrow, clinical project lead – research.

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Page last updated: 20 July 2010