Implementing early mobilisation in the intensive care unit: An integrative review

The intensive care unit provides complex care for critically ill patients. Consequently, due to the nature of critical illness and the therapies administered in intensive care, patients are often on prolonged periods of bed rest with limited mobility. It has been recognised that mobilising critically ill patients is beneficial to patients' recovery, however implementing early mobility as a standard of care remains challenging in practice.

To identify the key factors that underpin successful implementation and sustainability of early mobilisation in adult intensive care units.

Integrative Review.

A systematic search strategy guided by SPICE framework (Setting, Perspective, Intervention, Comparison, Evaluation) was used to formulate the research question, identify study inclusion and exclusion criteria, and guide the database search strategy. Computerised databases were searched from August-September 2016. Quality improvement articles that identified project implementation of early mobilisation of mechanically ventilated adult intensive care patients were included.

After screening the articles, extracting project data and completing summary tables, critical appraisal of the quality improvement projects was completed using the Quality Improvement Minimum Quality Criteria Set. A modified version of the Cochrane Effective Practice and Organisation of Care taxonomy was used to synthesise the multifaceted implementation strategies the projects utilised to help bring about changes in clinician behaviour.

Thirteen articles, reflecting 12 projects meeting the inclusion criteria were included in the final analysis. Eleven projects were conducted in the United States, and one in the United Kingdom. Quality scores ranged from 6 to 15. A formal framework to guide the quality improvement process was used in 9 projects. The three most frequently used groups of implementation strategies were educational meetings, clinical practice guidelines and tailored interventions. Managing the change process through strong leadership, designing strategies and interventions to overcome barriers to implementation, multidisciplinary team collaboration and data collection and feedback underpinned successful and sustainable early mobility practice change.

The use of a quality improvement appraisal tool can help identify high quality projects when planning a similar mobility program. Even though projects were conducted in a variety of intensive care unit settings, and implementation frameworks and strategies varied, all began with strong leadership commitment to early mobilisation. This along with using the quality improvement process and multidisciplinary team approach ensured success and sustainability of mobilising ventilated patients.