Promoting Mobility in the Intensive Care Unit: An Educational Interprofessional Initiative

Area of Science:

• Healthcare Education
• Critical Care Medicine
• Interprofessional Practice

Background:

• Collaborative interprofessional practice is crucial in critical care for patient safety and outcomes.
• Early mobilization of intubated intensive care unit (ICU) patients improves functional outcomes, reduces mechanical ventilation and delirium duration, and shortens hospital stays.
• An interprofessional educational activity was designed for senior nursing and physical therapy students.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the impact of an interprofessional educational activity on student perceptions of early mobilization for intubated ICU patients.
• To foster an understanding of collaborative, evidence-based care in critical care settings.

Main Methods:

• Students from nursing and physical therapy collaborated to develop a care plan for early mobilization of intubated ICU patients.
• The activity integrated knowledge from literature, clinical guidelines, and evidence-based practices.
• A structured debriefing session was conducted post-activity.

Main Results:

• Students gained a strong appreciation for collaborative, interprofessional, and evidence-based care.
• The educational activity highlighted the importance of teamwork in managing intubated ICU patients.

Conclusions:

• Simulated interprofessional team engagement can positively influence student perceptions and attitudes towards collaborative care.
• These enhanced perceptions are essential for future professional practice in critical care settings.