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PURPOSE: The coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has resulted in an influx of critically ill patients requiring mechanical ventilation, some receiving venovenous (VV) extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO). The benefits of early mobility while undergoing ECMO have been previously documented. However, the COVID-19 pandemic has presented physical therapists with novel challenges, balancing the risk of a widespread shortage of personal protective equipment (PPE) with the benefits of early mobility for patients on ECMO. The purpose of this case study is to report the successful rehabilitation of a critically ill patient with COVID-19 undergoing VV ECMO. METHODS: This is a case description of a 38-year-old man who presented to the hospital with COVID-19 and subsequent intubation and cannulation for VV ECMO. Physical therapy was initiated while the patient remained critically ill on VV ECMO. Focused coordination and education were employed to limit PPE usage by limiting the number of essential staff/therapists that entered the room as well as changing the frequency of therapy sessions dependent on how the patient was progressing functionally. RESULTS: On VV ECMO day 11, he was able to sit up and perform a sit-to-stand. ECMO decannulation occurred on hospital day 14 with extubation on hospital day 18. The patient progressed functionally while quarantined in the room until he was discharged home with supplemental oxygen after spending 29 days in the hospital. CONCLUSION: This case study demonstrates the clinical decision-making used to provide physical therapy services for a critically ill patient with COVID-19. High-level team coordination resulted in limiting the use of PPE as well as reducing staff exposure frequency during rehabilitation. Despite his severe critical illness, the patient was successfully discharged home within 30 days.
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To develop and implement a protocol to increase patient mobility in three adult ICUs using an interdisciplinary approach and existing resources. DESIGN: The Iowa Model of Evidence-Based Practice was used for synthesis of literature and intervention planning. A retrospective pre- and post-intervention data collection design was used to compare outcomes of interest. SETTING: Three adult ICUs (64 total beds) in an urban, academic hospital. Physician, nursing, respiratory therapy, physical therapy, and occupational therapy representatives participated in planning and development. All adult ICU patients were included. INTERVENTIONS: Development and implementation of an inclusive early mobility protocol in three adult ICUs. Focus on interdisciplinary collaboration to restructure workflow, focusing on optimization and coordination of standard tasks. Multimodal education occurred in an interdisciplinary setting and on-site champions facilitated implementation. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: Time from admission to ambulation, overall frequency of ambulation, and frequency of ambulation by age group were assessed across three time periods: no awareness (Time 1), awareness without protocol (Time 2), and protocolization (Time 3). Decrease in hours from admission to ambulation were seen in the cardiovascular ICU (62.3 vs 56.1; p = 0.10) and surgical ICU (64.9 vs 58.6; p = 0.022). Significant increase demonstrated in the proportion of patients who ambulated while in the ICU (24.6% vs 33.0%; p < 0.001). All age groups had increase in frequency of ambulation. The largest gains in patients over 65 years old (T1 = 19.7%, T2 = 26.6%, T3 = 30.9%; p < 0.001). No change found in ICU length of stay, hospital length of stay, or ventilator days. CONCLUSIONS: This single-center evidenced-based practice project demonstrated increased mobility for ICU patients without addition of staff resources following implementation of an early mobility protocol using an interdisciplinary approach. Successful implementation led to creation of mobility protocol toolkit for use across all ICUs in the broader health system.
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OBJECTIVE: Post-operative pain can significantly affect a patient's ability to recover following surgery. In this study we introduced the concept of post-operative pain evaluation of burn patients as well as a technique for placement and use of subcutaneous catheters for continuous infusion of local anesthetic to provide analgesia following skin harvest from the lateral thigh in a hospital in resource-restricted country--Ukraine. METHODS: A total of 109 patients were enrolled in this study. In the control group 64 patients received the standard post-operative pain regimen of metamizole 1 g and/or ketorolac 3%- 30 mg at the discretion of the nursing staff. In the interventional group, 45 patients received the catheter infusion of local anesthetic by elastomeric pump which was placed intraoperatively; it continuously delivers a regulated flow 4-5 ml/h of procaine 0.5% for 48 h to a patient's surgical donor site with the standard pain regimen available for breakthrough pain. All patients were assessed post-operatively and in the peri-dressing change period by the nursing staff. Blood pressure, heart rate, and pain scores were documented based on the Wong-Baker Faces Pain Rating Scale. All data were analyzed using SAS version 9.3. The Student's t test and Fisher's exact test were used to assess differences between groups for continuous variables. The Mann-Whitney U Test was used to examine differences in pain scores between groups. A p value of <0.05 was considered significant. RESULTS: The median pain score immediately following surgery was 5.0 in the control group, which was significantly greater (p=0.03) than median pain score of 4.0 for the patients receiving continuous infusion of procaine. However, there is no statistically significant difference in the median pain score (3.0 and 3.0) after the initial dressing change (p=0.73). CONCLUSIONS: Our Ukrainian colleagues now have a method of objective pain assessment and a new technique in pain management. With assessment linked to intervention, improvement in post-operative pain can be expected.