A multisite study of multidisciplinary ICU team member beliefs toward early mobility.
Leanne M Boehm, Jana Lauderdale, Amy N Garrett and 1 others
PMID 33069455WHAT IT FOUND
ICU staff believed early mobility helped patients but feared falls, line dislodgement and instability.
Nurses were seen as both key initiators and blockers, while staffing, equipment and time shaped whether mobilization happened.
Key findings
01Team members believed early mobility helped patients avoid complications, but 85 respondents identified patient risk as the main disadvantage.
02Physical therapists and nurses were seen as most likely to perform early mobility (78% and 72%), while nurses were also identified as the least likely to perform it.
03Most respondents (60%) reported staffing as a factor that could facilitate or deter early mobility, and equipment and time were also situational factors.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for PTs
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What it does not show
Most respondents were nurses, so the findings may reflect nursing perspectives more than other disciplines. The PT, OT and RT samples were too small to compare disciplines. Participants came from only two hospitals in one region. The study captured a single snapshot of beliefs and did not observe actual early mobility behavior. Paper and online survey collection were both used, which may introduce bias. Physicians and advanced practice providers were excluded, so the team view was incomplete.
Declared interests
The authors declared no conflicts of interest. The article's publication types list NIH extramural and non-U.S. government research support.
The easy way to misread this
Do not read these beliefs as proof that early mobility improves patient outcomes or that implementation strategies change behavior. The study reports staff perceptions, mostly nurses, and does not test early mobility or measure patient results.