Restraint use raises many ethical concerns, such as threats to patient autonomy and beneficence. Clinical issues of particular concern include increased mortality and a multitude of physiological and psychological complications. The registered nurse is the healthcare provider who makes the initial decision that physical restraints are needed for a patient, and when to discontinue restraints. The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship of nurse age, critical care experience, nursing education degree, and work shift length to application and discontinuation of physical restraints in the adult patient in the intensive care unit setting. Data were extracted from a nurse data collection tool and pre-existing medical and administrative records. The study showed no statistically significant relationship between age, years of critical care experience, or nursing education degree. A positive correlation was found between work shift and restraint application and a negative correlation between work shift length and restraint discontinuation.