Immediate Mobilisation After Elective Colorectal Surgery-Patients' and Healthcare Professionals' Experiences: A Qualitative Study.
Rose-Marie Wilnerzon Thörn, Anette Forsberg, Rebecca Ahlstrand and 1 others
PMID 40589285WHAT IT FOUND
Patients and staff described immediate mobilisation 30 minutes after colorectal surgery as both helpful and hard.
Some felt dizzy, nauseated, afraid or reluctant; others felt supported, safer and ready. Staff said it needed time, skill, collaboration and space.
Key findings
01Some patients found immediate mobilisation physically and emotionally difficult, describing dizziness, nausea, pain, weakness, reluctance and fear.
02Patients felt supported and safe when staff were close, attentive, respectful and encouraging, and when walking aids helped them move.
03Healthcare professionals reported perceived benefits but described immediate mobilisation as resource intensive and dependent on assessment, collaboration, space and equipment.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for PTsWhat it means for RNs
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What it does not show
Interview data were analysed from 41 of 72 patients; 11 had technical recording problems and 20 were excluded because they did not remember mobilisation. Patients were interviewed about 4 weeks after surgery, so recall of the recovery unit period may have been limited. Only 5 of 15 eligible healthcare professionals participated, and all were women; their experiences may not represent all staff. The first author was both the physiotherapist who delivered mobilisation and the patient interviewer, which may have affected what patients said. Findings come from one 13-bed unit and a specific protocol, so they may not transfer to other settings. This qualitative study reports experiences, not whether immediate mobilisation improves recovery.
Declared interests
The authors declared no conflict of interest.
The easy way to misread this
Do not treat these themes as evidence that immediate mobilisation improves recovery. The linked trial found no difference in in-hospital physical activity, and this study reports experiences only.