title: Building a protocol to guide mobility in the ICU.
abstract: Professional experience and wisdom have taught us that immobility is a risk factor for various adverse outcomes, such as deep vein thrombosis, joint contractures, pulmonary dysfunction, and bone demineralization to name a few. Balancing bed rest and mobility may improve both short- and long-term outcomes for our patients. Moreover, early, routine mobilization of critically ill patients is safe and reduces hospital length of stay, shortens the duration of mechanical ventilation, improves muscle strength, and functional independence. At the University of Michigan, we have turned the tides by creating a structured process to get our patients moving through the use of a standardized mobility protocol. Our protocol is simple and can easily be adapted for all patient populations by simply modifying some of the inclusion and exclusion criteria. The activities are grounded in the evidence and well thought out to prevent complications and promote mobilization. The purpose of this article was to present the science behind the development of a multidisciplinary protocol for early mobilization of critically ill patients that can be adapted to any intensive care unit patient with minor modifications.
authors.affiliation: Critical Care Medicine Unit, University of Michigan School of Nursing, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA. dazy@med.umich.edu
authors.forename: Jennifer
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Dammeyer
authors.forename: Sharon
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Dickinson
authors.forename: Donald
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Packard
authors.forename: Noel
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Baldwin
authors.forename: Connie
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Ricklemann
mesh_terms: D000046:Academic Medical Centers; D002985:Clinical Protocols; D016638:Critical Illness / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D004434:Early Ambulation / Q000379:methods*; D055318:Evidence-Based Nursing; D006801:Humans; D007362:Intensive Care Units / Q000458:organization & administration*; D051346:Mobility Limitation