Safe Patient Mobilization Training:: A Cross-Sectional Survey of Nursing and Rehabilitation Professionals

The aim of the study was to describe healthcare professionals involved in training for patient mobilization and explore associations between professional identity and perceptions of training. Study results might inform the enhancement of staff training programs.

A descriptive, cross-sectional, online survey was conducted.

We surveyed over 700 nursing and rehabilitation therapy staff from 18 hospitals. We used the exact Pearson chi-square test to compare frequencies of responses describing training perceptions based on the (1) respondent's professional identity and (2) professional identity of the instructor(s).

Three hundred twenty individuals responded to the survey, with 186 indicating their hospital had offered training for patient mobilization within the past year. As learners, nursing staff believed the training had greater value than rehabilitation therapy staff. Respondents more frequently believed training was important and improved confidence when provided by rehabilitation therapists alone or in conjunction with nurses, compared to training provided by nursing staff alone.

Lack of training is a common barrier to patient mobilization cited by nursing staff. Hospital leadership should ensure nursing staff have opportunities to participate in collaborative, interdisciplinary training programs involving rehabilitation staff.

Nursing staff value training in patient mobilization, more so when rehabilitation therapists provided the training.