Investigation of Early Mobilization After Surgery with Bibliometric Analysis Method

This study explored the global scientific landscape of early mobilization after surgery and Enhanced Recovery After Surgery protocols. It aimed to identify research trends, key themes, and knowledge gaps to guide future evidence-based nursing practices.

A bibliometric research design was employed to quantitatively map the scientific output and intellectual structure of this field.

Data from 645 articles (1996-2025) were retrieved from the Web of Science database. Analysis was performed using the Bibliometrix R package. The metrics included keyword frequency, author productivity (Lotka's Law), and journal distribution (Bradford's Law).

Publication volume has increased significantly since 2010, peaking in 2024. While the USA, China, and Germany are the most prolific, the UK and Denmark lead in terms of citation impact. Research is highly collaborative, with 90.4% of the authors contributing to a single study. The dominant themes included "enhanced recovery" and "outcomes," whereas "complications" and "operating room efficiency" remained underrepresented. International collaboration accounts for 13.33% of the literature.

Although the field is expanding, it remains unevenly distributed across topics. This review provides a roadmap for nursing research by highlighting the need for more focused studies on under-represented clinical complications. This emphasizes that standardized reporting and interdisciplinary collaboration are essential for refining postoperative mobilization protocols.