Objective To explore the behavioral, normative and control beliefs of nursing staff toward physical restraints use in institutional care based on the Theory of Planned Behavior, and to provide references for standardizing the use of physical restraints. Methods Applying qualitative research methods, 20 nursing staff from 2 long-term care facilities in Chongqing were selected for an open-ended questionnaire survey and 12 nursing staff for semi-structured interview. Data were analyzed by Colaizzi′s phenomenological method. Results Nursing staff′s behavioral, normative and control beliefs of physical restraint use were identified, including eight themes as following:cognition, attitude, emotional experience, group pressure, moral pressure, responsibility pressure, external facilitators and barriers. Conclusion Long-term care facilities should carry out standardized education for nursing staff to enhance their knowledge and attitudes toward use of physical restraints, formulate norms and interventions, and provide support,thus to reduce the use of physical restraints on institutionalized elders.