Follow the Blue Feet: Nurse Implemented Postoperative MOBILITY Program

Area of Science:

• Nursing
• Surgical Care
• Evidence-Based Practice

Background:

• Postoperative mobility is crucial for recovery.
• Effective documentation and patient understanding are key to promoting mobility.
• A structured program can address gaps in current practices.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate a nurse-led MOBILITY program's effectiveness.
• To increase postoperative patient mobility documentation.
• To enhance nurse and patient understanding of mobility's importance and patient satisfaction.

Main Methods:

• Implementation of the MOBILITY program on a Burn/Surgical/Trauma unit.
• Utilized Lewin's Change Theory and Iowa Model for Evidence-Based Practice.
• Collected data through pre/postimplementation surveys (n=20 nurses, n=9 patients) and chart audits (n=10).

Main Results:

• Mobility documentation improved by 233.3%; ambulation distance documentation by 700%.
• Medical team mobility orders increased by 66.7%.
• Nurse comfort with mobility assessment rose by 38.5%, knowledge of documentation by 80%, and patient satisfaction by 60%. Patient mobility increased by 80%.

Conclusions:

• The nurse-led MOBILITY program effectively enhanced postoperative mobility.
• The program improved nurse and patient understanding, satisfaction, and documentation of mobility.
• This initiative demonstrates a successful model for improving postoperative care on specialized units.