Exploring a Culture of Nurse-Led Mobility to Advance Hospitalized Patients on the Recovery Continuum

Patients with intensive care unit-acquired weakness often fail to reach preadmission baseline values of functional ability at the time of hospital discharge. Progressive mobilization is the use of mobility early in the inpatient stay with intent to maintain muscle mass and strength. The nurse is uniquely positioned to encourage mobilization as a primary caregiver who can oversee patient mobility outside of scheduled rehabilitation sessions. The adverse effects of immobilization involve several complex mechanisms that contribute to protein imbalance, muscle deterioration, and progressive weakness that impacts body systems. Immobility may lead to functional decline and the development of intensive care unit-acquired weakness that impacts patients for years to months after discharge from the hospital. The multidisciplinary health care team may enable mobility by adopting mobility care bundles, using mobility score tools, embracing mobility assist devices, encouraging time spent outside of patient rooms, using descriptive mobility criteria to identify mobility strategies, and employing mobility coordinators.