Immediate Mobilisation After Elective Colorectal Surgery-Patients' and Healthcare Professionals' Experiences: A...

Early mobilisation is advocated after colorectal surgery. Mobilising patients 30 min after arrival to the post-anaesthesia care unit has been shown to be feasible; however, before implementation in clinical care, the experiences of patients and healthcare professionals must be investigated. Thus, this study aims to explore patients' and healthcare professionals' experiences of immediate mobilisation.

A total of 41 patients from the intervention group of a randomised control trial investigating the effects of immediate mobilisation were included and interviewed individually between October 2017 and June 2019. Five healthcare professionals working with the intervention were also interviewed individually during fall 2018 to spring 2019. The data analyses of the two samples were conducted separately, using inductive qualitative content analysis.

Three themes were identified from the patients' interviews: 'The body cannot keep up', describing challenges, such as burdensome symptoms, reluctance and fear that mobilisation could be harmful; 'Being in good hands', referring to receiving individual support from healthcare professionals when being mobilised and thus feeling safe; and 'A first step towards recovery', describing patients' readiness for immediate mobilisation with fewer postoperative symptoms, while recognising the benefits and feeling satisfied. An overarching theme was identified from the healthcare professionals' interviews - 'Balancing gains and challenges', which describes likely benefits to patients but also notes that mobilisation immediately after surgery is resource intensive. The professionals described their initial concerns about patients' wellbeing and safety and the adapted facilities needed for immediate mobilisation to be smooth.

Immediate mobilisation after elective colorectal surgery was found to be both beneficial and challenging by patients and healthcare professionals; it requires skilled staff, sufficient resources, adapted facilities, and clear mobilisation procedures and efforts tailored to the patients' individual abilities.