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


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.
Intensive Care Unit, UnityPoint Health, Des Moines, IA.
Sarah M
SM
Pandullo
Trauma Services, UnityPoint Health, Des Moines, IA. Electronic address: sarah.spilman@unitypoint.org.
Sarah K
SK
Spilman
Intensive Care Unit, UnityPoint Health, Des Moines, IA.
Janell A
JA
Smith
Respiratory Therapy, UnityPoint Health, Des Moines, IA.
Lisa K
LK
Kingery
Physical Therapy, UnityPoint Health, Des Moines, IA.
Sara M
SM
Pille
Younker Rehabilitation Center, UnityPoint Health, Des Moines, IA.
Robert D
RD
Rondinelli
Trauma Services, UnityPoint Health, Des Moines, IA.
Sheryl M
SM
Sahr
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D016638:Critical Illness / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D004434:Early Ambulation / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007362:Intensive Care Units / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D007902:Length of Stay / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010351:Patient Discharge / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D010360:Patient Transfer / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D010362:Patients' Rooms / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D016138:Walking / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*
Ambulation; Hospital length of stay; Inpatient floor; Intensive care unit; Progressive mobility; Transfer