Time for critically ill patients to regain mobility after early mobilization in the intensive care unit and transition to a general inpatient floor

Abstract

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to determine if patient mobility achievements in an intensive care unit (ICU) setting are sustained during subsequent phases of hospitalization, specifically after transferring to inpatient floors and on the day of hospital discharge.

Materials and methods: The study is an analysis of adult patients who stayed in the ICU for 48 hours or more during the second quarter of 2013. The study sample included 182 patients who transferred to a general inpatient floor after the ICU stay.

Results: Patients experienced an average delay of 16 hours to regain or exceed chair level of mobility and 7 hours to regain ambulation level after transferring to an inpatient floor. One third of patients ambulated in the ICU, and those patients had significantly shorter post-ICU and hospital stays compared with patients who did not ambulate in the ICU. Delays in regaining mobility on the floor were modestly associated with initial Morse Fall Score and being male.

Conclusions: Mobility progression through the hospital course is imperative to improving patient outcomes. Study findings show the need for improvement in maintaining early ICU mobilization achievement during the crucial phase between ICU stay and hospital discharge.

Keywords: Ambulation; Hospital length of stay; Inpatient floor; Intensive care unit; Progressive mobility; Transfer.