In the hands of nurses: A focus group study of how nurses perceive and promote inpatients' needs for physical activity.
Emma Ohlsson-Nevo, Gunnel Andersson, Emma Nilsing Strid
PMID 31871718WHAT IT FOUND
Nurses said inpatient physical activity depended on their daily priorities and ward routines.
They described pain relief, waiting for tests, staff shortages and unfamiliar conditions as blockers, and valued physiotherapy or occupational therapy support for mobilization.
Key findings
01Nurses described inpatients' physical activity as dependent on nurses' prioritization and ward routines.
02Nurses described physiotherapy and occupational therapy competence as needed for assessment and assistive devices, but some wards found the physiotherapist hard to reach.
03Nurses reported that some wards integrated mobilization into daily work, while others promoted physical activity only when time allowed.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for PTsWhat it means for OTs
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What it does not show
The study included nurses only, not patients, families or patient outcomes. The head of each ward selected the nurses, so the research team did not control who participated. Nurses were grouped with colleagues from the same ward, which may have made them less willing to disagree. One focus group was not recorded and relied on immediate memory notes. One researcher had been a colleague of participants in the pilot focus group. The study was conducted in three hospitals in one Swedish county, so ward culture may not transfer.
Declared interests
The authors declared no conflict of interest.
The easy way to misread this
Do not read this as evidence that nurse-led mobilization improves patient outcomes. The study included no patient outcomes; it describes nurses' perceptions.