As clinicians, mobilizing our patients is one of the key aspects of the care we deliver daily. Mobilizing the critical care patient can be a monumental task, but is one we strive for regardless, knowing that muscles weaken 1 to 2 % daily with disuse.
The goal is to achieve the best outcome and get the patient out of bed. The challenge is finding the right positioning strategy that matches the patient’s current health status. Incremental changes in head-of-bed height combined with active and passive ROM exercises prepare patients for transitional changes in their positioning, from supine or prone to upright and then to seated.
In times of COVID-19, clinicians are stressed and tired, but mobility programs are essential for COVID and non-COVID patients to return to baseline. Remember, we must sit before we stand! Below is a great resource to help guide early mobilization efforts.
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