Psychometric Testing of an Instrument Assessing Family Knowledge, Contemplation, Confidence and Readiness for Engaging in Early Mobilisation of Critically Ill Patients: A Multi-Site Cross-Sectional Design.

BACKGROUND: Early mobilisation is beneficial to support recovery among critically ill patients. The literature highlights the benefits of family engagement in early mobilisation, yet this practice remains underutilised. Effective implementation depends on understanding the key antecedents that influence family engagement in early mobilisation, specifically families' knowledge, contemplation, confidence and readiness. However, no measurement tools currently exist to assess these. Therefore, developing a psychometrically supported instrument is essential to understanding and enhancing families' factors influencing their engagement in early mobilisation. AIM: To develop and evaluate the psychometric properties of an instrument to assess families' knowledge, contemplation, confidence and readiness to engage in early mobilisation. DESIGN: A multi-site cross-sectional survey design. METHODS: Based on established psychological theory (Social Cognitive Theories and Behaviour Change Theories), an item pool was developed to assess families' knowledge, contemplation, confidence and readiness to participate in early mobilisation. To psychometrically evaluate the new tool, a multi-site cross-sectional survey was undertaken from May 2020 to June 2022 across five intensive care units in Australia. Data from 370 families of critically ill patients were used to evaluate the structural, convergent and discriminant validity as well as the reliability of the new instrument. RESULTS: Confirmatory factor analysis indicated good model fit, supporting the proposed structure. All items displayed high standardised factor loadings except one, which improved upon freeing an error covariance. Positive inter-factor correlations were moderate to strong and were substantially lower than the square root of the average variance extracted, supporting both convergent and discriminant validity, respectively. Additionally, all subscales demonstrated well to excellent reliability. CONCLUSION: The findings provide preliminary support for the multiple types of validity evidence and the reliability of the instrument. This new instrument is suitable for use in clinical and research applications to assess families' knowledge, contemplation, confidence and readiness for their engagement in early mobilisation. IMPACT: Family engagement in early mobilisation activities may have multiple benefits but it is not commonly implemented in the ICU. Factors influencing family engagement in early mobilisation are poorly understood. Influential psychological theories highlight the likely importance of knowledge, contemplation, confidence and readiness. A readily available instrument designed to assess these constructs among family members is needed to deepen research understanding and guide clinical practice. The proposed instrument is designed to measure factors influencing family engagement in early mobilisation, which may support healthcare professionals and health services to identify and tailor strategies to support family engagement in early mobilisation. REPORTING METHOD: Recommendations for reporting the results of studies of instrument and scale development and testing was followed to report this study. PATIENT OR PUBLIC CONTRIBUTION: Family members of adult critically ill patients participated in this study, and they provided the data through the survey.

One-day surgery is safe and effective in unicompartmental knee arthroplasty: A prospective comparative study at 1 year of follow-up.

PURPOSE: To compare the outcomes and complications of two perioperative protocols for the management of patients who underwent medial unicompartmental knee arthroplasty (UKA): 24 h (1-day surgery [OS]) versus 72 h (enhanced recovery after surgery [ERAS]) of the length of hospital stay (LOS). In our hypothesis, the reduction of the LOS from 3 to 1 day did not influence the outcomes and complications. METHODS: A total of 42 patients (21 in each group) with isolated anteromedial knee osteoarthritis and meeting specific criteria were prospectively included in the study. Clinical outcomes included Knee Society Score (KSS) and Forgotten joint score while pain evaluation was performed using a Visual Analogue Scale (VAS). Functional outcomes were assessed measuring the knee range of motion (ROM) while radiographic outcomes were evaluated measuring the amelioration of the varus deformity through the hip-knee-ankle angle (HKA). RESULTS: Clinical and functional outcomes did not significantly differ between the two groups. Complications occurred in 9.5% of OS and 4.7% of ERAS group patients. Significant improvements in knee ROM, VAS pain, KSS and HKA angle were observed postsurgery, with no significant differences between groups except in KSS expectations and function trends. CONCLUSION: The OS protocol is safe and effective and LOS, in a well-defined fast-track protocol, did not significantly impact clinical and functional outcomes. OS may lead to reduced hospitalisation costs and potential reductions in complications associated with prolonged stays, benefiting both patients and healthcare facilities. However, further research with larger sample sizes and longer follow-up periods is needed to confirm these findings. Early mobilisation and rehabilitation protocols are key components of successful patient recovery following UKA procedures. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level II.

Performance of successful ambulatory cervical spine surgery: safety, efficacy, and early experiences of first 100 cases in Poland.

BACKGROUND: Ambulatory anterior cervical discectomy and fusion (ACDF) is a promising method, but not common in Poland. OBJECTIVE: That is why the purpose of this study was to demonstrate the experience of performing ACDF in patients with degenerative spinal diseases. METHODS: This study at the Spine Centre involved a single-center, multi-surgeon evaluation of 100 patients undergoing ACDF. RESULTS: Outcomes assessed included pain severity, measured by the visual analogue scale, which improved from 4.28 ± 0.76 preoperatively to 1.11 ± 0.59 one month postoperatively. The Core Outcome Measures Index-neck (COMI-neck) scale also showed significant improvement: before surgery, 30% of patients scored their condition severity between 4-6, and 70% scored 7-10; 6 months postoperatively, the scores were 0-3 for 55% of patients, 4-6 for 45%, and 7-10 for none. Only 2% of patients experienced moderate, temporary complications, with no serious complications or postoperative hematomas observed. CONCLUSION: The study supports the feasibility, safety, and efficacy of performing ACDF in an ambulatory setting, suggesting that with appropriate patient selection and surgical protocols, ambulatory ACDF can be more broadly implemented.

Mobilisation during mechanical ventilation: A qualitative study exploring the practice of conscious patients, nurses and physiotherapists in intensive care unit.

AIM: To explore the practice of mobilisation of conscious and mechanically ventilated patients and the interaction between patients, nurses and physiotherapists. BACKGROUND: Long-term consequences of critical illness can be reduced by mobilisation starting in Intensive Care Units, but implementation in clinical practice is presently sparse. DESIGN: A qualitative study with a phenomenological-hermeneutic approach. METHODS: Participant observations in three Intensive Care Units involved twelve conscious mechanically ventilated patients, thirty-one nurses and four physiotherapists. Additionally seven semi-structured patient interviews, respectively at the ward and after discharge and two focus group interviews with healthcare professionals were conducted. The data analysis was inspired by Ricoeur's interpretation theory. The study adhered to the COREQ checklist. FINDINGS: Healthcare professionals performed a balance of support and guidance to promote mobilisation practice. The complexity of ICU mobilisation required a flexible mobility plan. Furthermore, interaction with feedback and humour was found to be 'a leverage' for patient's motivation to partake in mobilisation. The practice of mobilisation found patients striving to cope and healthcare professionals promoting a 'balanced standing by' and negotiating the flexible mobility plan to support mobilisation. CONCLUSION: The study revealed a need to clarify interprofessional communication to align expectations towards mobilisation of conscious and mechanically ventilated patients. RELEVANCE TO CLINICAL PRACTICE: The study demonstrated the important role of healthcare professionals to perform a stepwise and 'balanced standing by' in adequately supporting and challenging the mobilisation of mechanically ventilated patients. Furthermore, a synergy can arise when nurses and physiotherapists use supplementary feedback and humour, and cooperate based on a flexible situation-specific mobility plan in intensive care.

Exploring critically ill patients' functional recovery through family partnerships: A descriptive qualitative study.

BACKGROUND: Early mobilisation interventions play a role in preventing intensive care unit-acquired weakness in critically ill patients and may contribute to improved recovery. Patient-and-family-centred care includes collaborative partnerships between healthcare professionals and families and is a potential strategy to promote early mobilisation in critical care; however, we currently do not know family member preferences for partnering and involvement in early mobilisation interventions. OBJECTIVES: The objective of this study was to explore family member perspectives on the acceptability and feasibility of partnering with healthcare professionals in early mobilisation interventions for adult critically ill patients. METHODS: A descriptive qualitative design. Semistructured interviews were conducted with family members of adult critically ill patients admitted to an intensive care unit. Data were collected through individual audio-recorded interviews. Interview data were analysed using the six phases of thematic analysis described by Braun and Clark. This study is reported following the Consolidated Criteria for Reporting Qualitative Research guidelines. RESULTS: Most family members of critically ill patients found the idea of partnering with healthcare professionals in early mobilisation interventions acceptable and feasible, although none had ever considered a partnership before. Participants thought their involvement in early mobilisation would have a positive impact on both the patient's and their own wellbeing. Themes uncovered showed that understanding family-member readiness and their need to feel welcome and included in the unfamiliar critical care environment are required before family member and healthcare professional partnerships in early mobilisation interventions can be enacted. CONCLUSIONS: Family members found partnering with healthcare professionals in early mobilisation interventions acceptable and feasible to enact, but implementation is influenced by their readiness and sense of belonging.

Daily variation in physical activity during mechanical ventilation and stay in the intensive care unit.

BACKGROUND: Early mobilisation of mechanically ventilated patients during their stay at an intensive care unit (ICU) can improve physical recovery. Yet, an objective and specified description of physical activities while in the ICU is lacking. Therefore, our aim was to describe the objectively assessed type, quantity, and daily variation of physical activity among mechanically ventilated patients while in the ICU. METHOD: In an observational study in two mixed medical/surgical ICUs, we measured body posture in 39 patients on mechanical ventilation using a thigh- and chest-worn accelerometer while in the ICU. The accelerometer describes time spent lying, sitting, moving, in-bed cycling, standing and walking. Descriptive analysis of physical activity and daily variation was done using STATA. RESULTS: We found that mechanically ventilated patients spend 20/24 h lying in bed, 3 h sitting and only 1 h standing, moving, walking or bicycling while in the ICU. Intervals of non-lying time appeared from 9.00 to 12.00 and again from 18.00 to 21.30, with peaks at the hours of 9.00 and 18.00. CONCLUSION: ICU patients on mechanical ventilation were primarily sedentary. Physical activity of mechanically ventilated patients seems to be related to nurse- and/or physiotherapy-initiated activities. There is a need to create an awareness of improving clinical routines, towards active mobilisation throughout the day, for this vulnerable patient population during their stay in the ICU.

Healthcare professionals perspectives on feasibility and acceptability of family engagement in early mobilisation for adult critically ill patients: A descriptive qualitative study.

AIMS: To explore healthcare professionals' perceptions of the feasibility and acceptability of family engagement in early mobilisation for adult critically ill patients. BACKGROUND: Early mobilisation is beneficial to minimise intensive care unit acquired-weakness in critically ill patients and family engagement can help with meeting early mobilisation goals, but it is not widely practiced. Understanding healthcare professionals' perceptions of feasibility and acceptability of family engagement in early mobilisation of adult critically ill patients is required to inform future implementation strategies to promote early mobilisation. DESIGN: A descriptive qualitative study. METHODS: Face-to-face, individual, semi-structured interviews were conducted between August 2021 and March 2022 with healthcare professionals working in two intensive care units in Australia. The interviews were analysed using the inductive content analysis, and descriptive statistics were used to summarise participant characteristics. The COREQ checklist was followed when reporting this study. RESULTS: Eleven ICU nurses, five physiotherapists and four physicians participated in the interviews. Three main categories were identified: (i) healthcare professionals' readiness, (ii) mediators of engagement and (iii) foundations for successful implementation. Most participants demonstrated a positive attitude towards an implementation of family engagement in early mobilisation for adult critically ill patients; however, capability and capacity of healthcare professionals, family members' willingness, availability and readiness and the care context were considered factors that could influence the successful implementation. CONCLUSION: From the perspectives of healthcare professionals, family engagement in early mobilisation is feasible and acceptable to enact but implementation is influenced by contextual factors including, healthcare professionals' capability and capacity and family members' willingness, availability and readiness. Collaborative teamwork and preparing family members and healthcare professionals are needed to support this practice. RELEVANCE TO CLINICAL PRACTICE: The findings provide important information to further identify potential strategies of family engagement in early mobilisation and to help and mitigate factors that impede implementation.

The effects of combined early oral health care and early mobilisation on the incidence of stroke-associated pneumonia.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effects of combined early oral healthcare and early mobilisation on the incidence of stroke-associated pneumonia during hospitalisation of acute stroke patients. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In this single-centre, non-blinded, before-and-after cohort study, patients received basic stroke rehabilitation by a multidisciplinary team within 72 h of symptom onset from July to September 2016 and from July to September 2018. Patients were divided into two groups: 1) patients who received combined early oral healthcare and early mobilisation (early intervention group) (n=107), and 2) patients who received usual care (control group) (n=107). The relationship between the stroke-associated pneumonia incidence and prognosis was examined. RESULTS: The early intervention group had a significantly lower incidence of stroke-associated pneumonia than the control group (0.93% vs. 7.48%; P=0.01). Moreover, the early intervention group had a significantly lower proportion of patients who died or required medical care because of recurrent pneumonia at discharge (0.93% vs. 5.6%; P=0.04). In contrast, there were no significant differences between the two groups regarding the Revised Hasegawa's Dementia Scale on day 14 (22.5 vs. 23; P=0.87), Functional Independence Measure on day 14 (112 vs. 116; P=0.06), and rate of total oral diet (Food Intake LEVEL Scale ≥7) at discharge (95.2% vs. 93.5%; P=0.55). CONCLUSIONS: Combined early oral healthcare and early mobilisation by a multidisciplinary team significantly decreased the stroke-associated pneumonia incidence within 7 days and reduced the percentage of patients who died or required medical care because of recurrent pneumonia after stroke.

Early mobilisation practice in intensive care units: A large-scale cross-sectional survey in China.

BACKGROUND: The field of early rehabilitation has developed slowly in mainland China and there are limited data on the implementation of early mobilisation (EM) practice in intensive care unit (ICUs) in China. AIMS: To investigate the implementation of EM in ICUs in mainland China and to analyse its influencing factors. STUDY DESIGN: A cross-sectional electronic survey was conducted in 444 ICUs across 11 provinces in China. Head nurses provided data on institutional characteristics and EM practice in ICUs. Logistic regression models were used to identify factors associated with the implementation of EM. RESULTS: In all, 56.98% (253/444) of ICUs implemented EM with comprehensive or complete implementation in 86 ICUs. Of the 191 ICUs that did not use EM, 136 planned to implement EM in the near future. Of the 253 ICUs that used EM, 21.34% of ICUs implemented EM for all eligible patients, while 24.90% would evaluate and carry out EM within 48 h after ICU admission, 39.13% had collaborative EM teams, 34.39% reported the use of EM protocols, 14.63% reported multidisciplinary rounds and 17.39% had medical orders and charging standards for all EM activities. Only 18.18% of ICUs conducted frequent professional training for EM, and abnormal events occurred in 15.41% of ICUs during EM practice. Multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed that an economically strong province, the presence of a dedicated therapist team, more ICU beds and a higher staff-to-bed ratio favoured the implementation of EM. Furthermore, multidisciplinary rounds, well-established medical orders and charging standards, and a high frequency of professional training can lead to the comprehensive promotion and development of EM practice in ICUs. CONCLUSIONS: Both the implementation rate and quality of EM practice for critically ill patients require improvement. EM practice in Chinese ICUs is still nascent and requires development in a variety of domains. RELEVANCE TO CLINICAL PRACTICE: To facilitate the implementation of EM in ICUs, more human resources, especially the involvement of a professional therapist team, should be deployed. In addition, health providers should actively organize multidisciplinary rounds and professional training and formulate appropriate EM medical orders and charging standards.

Quality improvement intervention to stimulate early mobilisation of critically ill children.

BACKGROUND: Immobility during hospital stay is associated with muscle weakness, delirium, and delayed neurocognitive recovery. Early mobilisation of critically ill adults improves their physical functioning and shortens the duration of mechanical ventilation. However, comparable research in children is lacking. AIMS: To determine the effects of the implementation of an early mobilisation (EM) program on mobility activities for critically ill children and to explore barriers and facilitators and clinical outcomes before and after implementation. STUDY DESIGN: A prospective single-centre before-and-after study. This study was conducted in a PICU of a large tertiary hospital. Children aged from 3 months to 18 years, with an expected stay of ≥3 days were eligible to participate. In the "before" phase, participants received usual care; in the "after" phase we implemented a multicomponent, multidisciplinary EM protocol. The primary outcome was a change in the process outcome "mobilisation activities". Secondary outcomes were PICU staff opinions on mobilisation (survey), safety, process measures, involvement of parents and physical therapist, and clinical outcomes (sedative use and prevalence of delirium). RESULTS: A total of 113 children were included; 55 before and 58 after, with a median age of 31 months (IQR: 10-103) and 35 months (IQR: 7-152), respectively. The number of mobilisation activities (per patient per day) had significantly increased from 5 (IQR: 2-7) to 6 (IQR: 4-8) (U = 272185.0; p < .001). PT consultations for mobilisation had significantly increased from 23.6% (13/55) to 46.5% (27/58) (X2  = 6.48; p = .011). In both phases, no mobilisation-related adverse events were documented. The survey showed that PICU staff found EM of critically ill children useful and feasible. In the after phase, PICU staff rated the perceived benefit of the support of the physical therapist during mobilisation activities significantly higher than in the before phase (X2  = 34.80; p < .001). CONCLUSIONS: Implementation of a structured EM program for critically ill children is feasible and safe. RELEVANCE TO CLINICAL PRACTICE: It is suggested to start the implementation of a structed EM program with the idendentification of local barriers and facilitators by an interdisciplinary PICU team. Further, an increased presence of physiotherapists on the PICU would improve mobilisation levels, and facilitate mobilisation in critically ill children. Also, they can support and advice PICU nurses and parents in mobilising children.

Barriers and perceived benefits of early mobilisation programmes in Dutch paediatric intensive care units.

BACKGROUND: Early mobilisation of critically ill adults has been proven effective and is safe and feasible for critically ill children. However, barriers and perceived benefits of paediatric intensive care unit (PICU) staff involvement in mobilising critically ill children are largely unknown. AIM: To explore the barriers and perceived benefits regarding early mobilisation of critically ill children as perceived by PICU staff. STUDY DESIGN: A cross-sectional survey study among staff from seven PICUs in the Netherlands has been carried out. RESULTS: Two hundred and fifteen of the 641 health care professionals (33.5%) who were invited to complete a questionnaire responded, of whom 159 (75%) were nurses, 40 (19%) physicians, and 14 (6%) physical therapists. Respondents considered early mobilisation potentially beneficial to shorten the duration of mechanical ventilation (86%), improve wake/sleep rhythm (86%) and shorten the length of stay in the PICU (85%). However, staff were reluctant to mobilise patients on extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) (63%), and patients with traumatic brain injury (49%). Perceived barriers to early mobilisation were hemodynamic instability (78%), risk of dislocation of lines/tubes (74%), and level of sedation (62%). In total, 40.3% of PICU nurses stated that physical therapists provided enough support in their PICU, but 84.6% of the physical therapists believed support was sufficient. CONCLUSION: Participating PICU staff considered early mobilisation as potentially beneficial in improving patient outcomes, although barriers were noted in certain patient groups. RELEVANCE TO CLINICAL PRACTICE: We identified barriers to early mobilisation which should be addressed in implementation research projects in order to make early mobilisation in critically ill children work.

Early mobilisation in critically ill children: Does routine patient screening reduce time to commencing mobilisation?

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to investigate the impact of daily screening for medical readiness to participate in early mobilisation in the paediatric intensive care unit (PICU), on reducing time to mobilisation and to explore the safety-, feasibility-, and patient-level barriers to the practice. METHODS: An interventional study with a historical control group was conducted in a PICU in a tertiary teaching hospital in Australia. The Early Mobilisation Screening Checklist was applied at 24-48 h of PICU stay with the aim to reduce time to commencing mobilisation. All patients aged term to 18 years admitted to the PICU for >48 h were included in this study. Data on time to mobilisation and patient characteristics were collected by an unblinded case note audit of children admitted to the PICU over 5 months in 2018 for the baseline group and over a corresponding period in 2019 for the intervention group. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: A total of 71 children were enrolled. Survival analysis was used to compare time to mobilisation between groups, and a cox regression model found that children in the intervention group were 1.26 times more likely to participate in mobility, but this was not statistically significant (P = 0.391, log rank test for equality of survival functions). Early mobilisation was safe, with no adverse events reported in 177 participant mobilisation days. Feasibility was demonstrated by 62% of participants mobilising within 72 h of admission. Mechanical ventilation during stay (P = 0.043) and days receiving sedation infusion (% of days) (P = 0.042) were associated with a decreased likelihood of participating in mobility. CONCLUSIONS: Implementation of routine screening alone does not significantly reduce time to commencing mobility in the PICU. Early mobilisation in the PICU is safe and feasible and resulted in no adverse events during mobilisation. Patient characteristics influencing participation in mobility warrant further exploration.

Effects of early mobilisation program on functional capacity, daily living activities, and N-terminal prohormone brain natriuretic peptide in patients hospitalised for acute heart failure. A randomised controlled trial.

Background: Patients hospitalised for acute decompensated heart failure (ADHF) show reduced functional capacity, limited activities of daily living (ADL), and elevated N-terminal prohormone of brain natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP). The management of these patients focuses mainly on medical therapy with little consideration for in-patient cardiac rehabilitation. There has been a growing interest in evaluating the efficacy of early mobilisation, as the core for in-hospital rehabilitation, in ADHF patients in the last decade; however, the randomised trials on this topic are few. Objective: This randomised-controlled study, therefore, aimed to further test the hypothesis that early supervised mobilisation would have beneficial effects on functional capacity, ADL, and NT-proBNP in stabilised patients following ADHF. Methods: This is a single-centered, randomised-controlled, parallel-group trial in which 30 patients hospitalised for ADHF were randomly assigned to two groups; the study group (age=55.4±5.46 years, n1=15) and the control group (age=55.73±5.61 years, n2=15). Inclusion criteria were ADHF on top of chronic heart failure independent of etiology or ejection fraction, clinical/hemodynamic stability, age from 40 to 60 years old, and both genders. Exclusion criteria were cardiogenic shock, acute coronary ischemia, or significant arrhythmia. Both groups received the usual medical care, but only the study group received an early structured mobilisation protocol within 3 days of hospital admission till discharge. The outcome measures were the 6-min walk distance (6-MWD) and the rating of perceived exertion (RPE) determined from the 6-min walk test at discharge, the Barthel index (BI), NT-proBNP, and the length of hospital stays (LOS). Results: The study group showed significantly greater improvements compared to the controls in the 6-MWD (252.28±92.32 versus 106.35±56.36 m, P<0.001), the RPE (12.53±0.91 versus 15.4±1.63, P<0.001), and the LOS (10.42±4.23 versus 16.85±6.87 days, p=0.009) at discharge. Also, the study group showed significant improvements in the BI compared to baseline [100 (100-100) versus 41.87 (35-55), p=0.009] and the controls [100 (100-100) versus 92.5(85-95), p=0.006]. The mean value of NT-proBNP showed a significant reduction only compared to baseline (786.28±269.5 versus 1069.03±528.87 pg/mL, p=0.04) following the intervention. The absolute mean change (Δ) of NT-proBNP showed an observed difference between groups in favor of the study group (i.e., Δ=↓282.75±494.13 pg/mL in the study group versus ↓26.42±222.21 pg/mL in the control group, p=0.077). Conclusion: Early structured mobilisation under the supervision of a physiotherapist could be strongly suggested in combination with the usual medical care to help improve the functional capacity and daily living activities, reduce NT-proBNP levels, and shorten the hospital stay in stabilised patients following ADHF. Trial registration number: PACTR202202476383975.

Mobilisation of critically ill patients receiving norepinephrine: a retrospective cohort study.

BACKGROUND: Mobilisation and exercise intervention in general are safe and feasible in critically ill patients. For patients requiring catecholamines, however, doses of norepinephrine safe for mobilisation in the intensive care unit (ICU) are not defined. This study aimed to describe mobilisation practice in our hospital and identify doses of norepinephrine that allowed a safe mobilisation. METHODS: We conducted a retrospective single-centre cohort study of 16 ICUs at a university hospital in Germany with patients admitted between March 2018 and November 2021. Data were collected from our patient data management system. We analysed the effect of norepinephrine on level (ICU Mobility Scale) and frequency (units per day) of mobilisation, early mobilisation (within 72 h of ICU admission), mortality, and rate of adverse events. Data were extracted from free-text mobilisation entries using supervised machine learning (support vector machine). Statistical analyses were done using (generalised) linear (mixed-effect) models, as well as chi-square tests and ANOVAs. RESULTS: A total of 12,462 patients were analysed in this study. They received a total of 59,415 mobilisation units. Of these patients, 842 (6.8%) received mobilisation under continuous norepinephrine administration. Norepinephrine administration was negatively associated with the frequency of mobilisation (adjusted difference -0.07 mobilisations per day; 95% CI - 0.09, - 0.05; p ≤ 0.001) and early mobilisation (adjusted OR 0.83; 95% CI 0.76, 0.90; p ≤ 0.001), while a higher norepinephrine dose corresponded to a lower chance to be mobilised out-of-bed (adjusted OR 0.01; 95% CI 0.00, 0.04; p ≤ 0.001). Mobilisation with norepinephrine did not significantly affect mortality (p > 0.1). Higher compared to lower doses of norepinephrine did not lead to a significant increase in adverse events in our practice (p > 0.1). We identified that mobilisation was safe with up to 0.20 µg/kg/min norepinephrine for out-of-bed (IMS ≥ 2) and 0.33 µg/kg/min for in-bed (IMS 0-1) mobilisation. CONCLUSIONS: Mobilisation with norepinephrine can be done safely when considering the status of the patient and safety guidelines. We demonstrated that safe mobilisation was possible with norepinephrine doses up to 0.20 µg/kg/min for out-of-bed (IMS ≥ 2) and 0.33 µg/kg/min for in-bed (IMS 0-1) mobilisation.

Early rehabilitation and mobilisation of neonatal and paediatric extracorporeal membrane oxygenation patients: A UK and Ireland consensus document.

Despite increasing early rehabilitation and mobilisation (ERM) in paediatric intensive care, current evidence for ERM of neonatal and paediatric patients receiving extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) is limited. The proposed benefits of ERM in neonatal and paediatric ECMO patients are multifaceted, including reduced immobility related issues and maintenance of functional ability. However, ECMO presents additional safety and logistical challenges, and currently there are no published neonatal or paediatric guidelines. A consensus document was developed to provide guidance for ERM with neonatal and paediatric ECMO patients. The document was developed by specialist physiotherapists from nine ECMO centres within the UK and Ireland, together with the UK Paediatric Critical Care Society ECMO group and members of the multidisciplinary team. The document covers key considerations and practicalities for completing ERM in this population including, acuity level measurement, activity level guidance, safety and risk assessment, and goal setting. Risk assessment and safety checklist bedside tools are also included and designed to be adapted as required to meet specific unit policies and protocols.

The perceived barriers and facilitators to implementation of early mobilisation within a multicentre, phase 3 randomised controlled trial: A qualitative process evaluation study.

BACKGROUND: Process evaluation within clinical trials provides an assessment of the study implementation's accuracy and quality to explain causal mechanisms and highlight contextual factors associated with variation in outcomes. OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to identify the barriers and facilitators of implementing early mobilisation (EM) within a trial. METHODS: This is a qualitative process evaluation study within the Trial of Early Activity and Mobilisation (TEAM) phase 3 randomised controlled trial. Semistructured interviews were conducted remotely with multiprofessional clinicians (physiotherapists, medical staff, and nursing staff) involved in the delivery of the TEAM intervention at Australian hospitals participating in the TEAM study. Inductive coding was used to establish themes which were categorised into the Behaviour system involving domains of Capability, Opportunity, and Motivation (COM-B), which allowed barriers and enablers affecting EM to be identified. FINDINGS: Semistructured interviews were conducted in three different states of Australia. There were 16 participants, including 10 physiotherapists, five physicians, and one nurse. The key themes that facilitated EM were mentoring, champions, additional staff, organisation of the environment, cultural changes, communication, and documented safety criteria. In contrast, the main factors that hindered EM were lack of expertise and confidence in delivering EM, heavy sedation, interdisciplinary conflicts, and perceived risks related to EM. CONCLUSION: A wide range of barriers and facilitators that influenced EM within the TEAM study were identified using the COM-B framework. Many of these have been previously identified in the literature; however, participation in the study was viewed positively by multidisciplinary team members.

What are the barriers to nurses mobilising adult patients in intensive care units? An integrative review.

OBJECTIVES: There is a need for early mobilisation of patients in intensive care units to prevent acquired weaknesses which can have a long-term impact on health and quality of life. This need is not always fulfilled. We therefore sought to conduct an integrative review of international evidence to answer the question: What are the barriers to nurses mobilising adult patients in intensive care units? REVIEW METHOD USED: We conducted a systematic search and thematic analysis. We were able to present a descriptive quantitative synthesis of the survey articles included. DATA SOURCES: We searched CINAHL, MEDLINE, and PsycINFO databases between and including 2010 and 2020 using search terms synonymous with "intensive care unit" and "nurse" and "early mobilisation" and "barrier using Boolean operators" and "truncation". We completed backwards and forwards citation searches on included studies. RESULTS: We included seven articles which we synthesised into three themes and 13 subthemes as follows: (i) organisational barriers (subthemes were staffing levels, time and workload, resources, and care coordination), (ii) individual barriers (subthemes were self and team safety, knowledge and training, beliefs about the consequences of early mobilisation, stress, and other barriers), and (iii) patient-related barriers (subthemes were medical instability/physical status, patient safety, neurological deficits and sedation, and nonconcordance of patients). CONCLUSION: Nurses' barriers were wide ranging, and interventions to improve concordance with early mobilisation need to be tailored to address this group's specific barriers.

Discharge after hip fracture surgery by mobilisation timing: secondary analysis of the UK National Hip Fracture Database.

OBJECTIVE: To determine whether mobilisation timing was associated with the cumulative incidence of hospital discharge by 30 days after hip fracture surgery, accounting for potential confounders and the competing risk of in-hospital death. METHOD: We examined data for 135,105 patients 60 years or older who underwent surgery for nonpathological first hip fracture between 1 January 2014 and 31 December 2016 in any hospital in England or Wales. We tested whether the cumulative incidences of discharge differed between those mobilised early (within 36 h of surgery) and those mobilised late, accounting for potential confounders and the competing risk of in-hospital death. RESULTS: A total of 106,722 (79%) of patients first mobilised early. The average rate of discharge was 39.2 (95% CI 38.9-39.5) per 1,000 patient days, varying from 43.1 (95% CI 42.8-43.5) among those who mobilised early to 27.0 (95% CI 26.6-27.5) among those who mobilised late, accounting for the competing risk of death. By 30-day postoperatively, the crude and adjusted odds ratios of discharge were 2.36 (95% CI 2.29-2.43) and 2.08 (95% CI 2.00-2.16), respectively, among those who first mobilised early compared with those who mobilised late, accounting for the competing risk of death. CONCLUSION: Early mobilisation led to a 2-fold increase in the adjusted odds of discharge by 30-day postoperatively. We recommend inclusion of mobilisation within 36 h of surgery as a new UK Best Practice Tariff to help reduce delays to mobilisation currently experienced by one-fifth of patients surgically treated for hip fracture.

Smart Health-Enhanced Early Mobilisation in Intensive Care Units.

Critically ill patients that stay in Intensive Care Units (ICU) for long periods suffer from Post-Intensive Care Syndrome or ICU Acquired Weakness, whose effects can decrease patients' quality of life for years. To prevent such issues and aiming at shortening intensive care treatments, Early Mobilisation (EM) has been proposed as an encouraging technique: the literature includes numerous examples of the benefits of EM on the prevention of post-operative complications and adverse events. However, the appropriate application of EM programmes entails the use of scarce resources, both human and technical. Information and Communication Technologies can play a key role in reducing cost and improving the practice of EM. Although there is rich literature on EM practice and its potential benefits, there are some barriers that must be overcome, and technology, i.e., the use of sensors, robotics or information systems, can contribute to that end. This article reviews the literature and analyses on the use of technology in the area of EM, and moreover, it proposes a smart health-enhanced scenario.

Care and treatments related to intensive care unit-acquired muscle weakness: A cohort study.

BACKGROUND: Intensive care unit-acquired muscle weakness (ICUAW) has an incidence of 40-46%. Early mobilisation is known to be a protective factor. OBJECTIVE: The aim of the study was to identify the incidence of ICUAW in Spain and to evaluate variables likely to contribute to the development of ICUAW. METHODS: A 4-month, prospective observational multicentre cohort study was conducted on patients receiving invasive mechanical ventilation for at least 48 h. Data were collected from ICU day 3 until ICU discharge. The primary outcome was presence of ICUAW (diagnosed using the Medical Research Council [MRC] scale). The secondary outcome was nurse-patient ratio, physiotherapist availability, analgesia, sedation and delirium management, glycaemic control, and daily level of mobility during the ICU stay as per the ICU Mobility Scale. A logistic regression model was constructed based exclusively on days 3-5 of the ICU stay. RESULTS: The data of 642 patients were analysed from 80 ICUs, accounting for 35% of all ICUs in Spain. The incidence of ICUAW was 58% (275 of 474 patients; 95% confidence interval [CI] [53-62]). The predictors for ICUAW were older age (odds ratio [OR] = 1.01; 95% CI [1.00-1.03]) and more days with renal replacement therapy (OR = 1.01; 95% CI [1.00-1.02]). The protective factors for ICUAW were male gender (OR = 0.58; 95% CI [0.38-0.89]), higher Barthel Index (showing prehospital functional independence) (OR = 0.97; 95% CI [0.95-0.99]), more days of being awake and cooperative (defined by a feasible MRC assessment) (OR = 0.98; 95% CI [0.97-0.99]), presence of delirium (OR = 0.98; 95% CI [0.97-0.99]), and more days with active mobilisation (ICU Mobility Scale ≥ 4) (OR = 0.98; 95% CI [0.97-0.99]). CONCLUSIONS: The risk factors for ICUAW were functional dependence before admission, female gender, older age, and more days on renal replacement therapy. The protective factors for ICUAW were feasibility of MRC assessment, the presence of delirium, and being actively mobilised during the first 5 days in the ICU.