Early Mobilization in Intensive Therapy

Abstract Many patients experience serious reduced functional ability after a critical illness and hospitalization in an Intensive Care Unit. The cause of the reduced functional ability is the combination of critical illness and immobilization following treatment with a ventilator. The functional ability of patients can be affected up till a year after the discharge, and may shows a decrease in ability to walk and in problems with focusing. Studies show that it is safe and possible to mobilize the patients with for instance bed bikes, sitting up and standing up, even during ventilator therapy. The effect is shown as lesser days with delirium, on a ventilator therapy or hospitalization. No study has shown how early and at which intensity a patient can be mobilized. Our hypothesis is that an early systematic mobilization improves functional ability of the critically ill patient, mentally, physically and their life expectancy. The purpose of this study is to evaluate a mobilization protocol applied at critically ill patients, including a contribute related to knowledge of how soon and how intense patients ventilated for more than 48 hours can endure mobilization. To evaluate the connections between functional ability and life expectancy for critically ill patients are compared to a population matching in age. This intervention project has a multicenter design with pre- and post research related to effect in early systematic mobilization of critically ill patients. 200 patients are included in the project. Data are collected at tests showing the functional ability of patients in different ways. The tests are made at the discharge from the Intensive Care Unit and 5 days after at their wards and again at 3 and 12 month from discharge when the patients have returned to their home. The project started in February 2011 and is expected to end in May 2013, findings is expected in November 2013.