Corona Update: SURGE CAPACITY SOLUTIONS – The mobi is a mobile headwall (equipment consolidator) that can be set up in any space that has an electrical outlet: next to a chair, a bed, a cot in a hallway, a cafeteria, or anywhere patients need to be located. Click here for more information.
Early Patient Mobility Blog
Barriers to Patient Mobility
Barriers to Patient Mobility
March 30, 2021
Patient Ambulation
Barriers to patient mobility. Most medical practitioners are keenly aware of the benefits of early mobility—it improves patient recovery times, lowers the risk of complications, and shortens overall length of stay. So why has it been so difficult to implement? Why have there been so many barriers to patient mobility? The most common barriers to patient mobility can be grouped in four categories: equipment, patient availability, staff availability, and unit planning.
Why Aren’t Patients Being Mobilized
Key Facts:
Barriers to patient mobility include:
EQUIPMENT
- In a survey of 500 U.S. ICUs, the number one listed barrier to early mobility was a lack of appropriate equipment. (Bakhru 2015)
- If key pieces of mobility equipment (mobility platforms, ceiling lifts, etc.) are not readily available, multiple assistants will be required to support the patient, and mobility may be deferred due to staff unavailability. (Krupp 2019)
PATIENT AVAILABILITY
- Patients who are called away for unscheduled procedures and tests aren’t present in the ward where nurses and physical therapists can implement early mobility.
STAFF AVAILABILITY
- Understaffing physical therapists decreases the frequency and length of early patient mobilization. (Johnson 2019)
- In an extensive study of community and academic hospitals, researchers determined that the greatest barrier to early patient mobility was the fear that “increasing mobilization of my inpatients will be more work for nurses.” Nurses directly reported that “they did not have enough time” to meet unit early mobilization goals (Hoyer 2015; Fontela 2018; Jolley 2014)
Learn more about Livengood Medical Mobi Solutions.
What Customers Say
Testimonials
“6 months ago we implemented 12 mobis into our early mobility program. We have a very diverse population on our ICU and having the option of mobilizing them in a way that is helpful and assistive to staff while instilling confidence in the patient and family is great. We’re still working to figure out our ideal workflow but it’s given us concrete examples of how even our sicker vented patients can get mobilized safely and efficiently.”
Mark Rohlfing
RN, BSN Clinical Operations Manager Intensive Care Unit
Indiana University Health Ball Memorial Hospital - Muncie, IN
“After completing a research study with the LIVENGOOD mobi on our post trauma/surgical floor, I realized its potential to decrease length of stay, help with staff efficiency and empower patients to be independent.”
Lorrie Henecke
MS, APRN, ACNS-BC, CNRN Clinical Nurse Specialist
Medical Center of the Rockies, Loveland, CO
“We are so excited that the mobi helped us ambulate our very first vented patient.”
Esther Vandermeulen
R.N.
University Health System - San Antonio, TX
“The LIVENGOOD mobi is very user friendly, safe and a great solution to use minimal staff and be able to contain all of the patient’s equipment.”
Michael Saccone
P.T.
Saint Joseph's Hospital - Syracuse, NY
“I think the LIVENGOOD mobi will revolutionize the way we mobilize patients in the ICU. I saw patients mobilize sooner and with less anxiety with the mobi. One young patient was even able to walk outside with the mobi and her portable vent. Having the mobi made mobility a real team effort, not just a P.T. activity.”
Terra Terwilliger
PT, DPT - Adult Inpatient Physical Therapist
Rehab Services University of Minnesota Medical Center, Fairview Health System
“The LIVENGOOD platform allows my patients to be active and independent without attention being diverted to multiple lines, an oxygen tank, and other medically necessary devices. It allows patients to have hope and a sense of “normalcy”, which so often is lost after trauma or surgery.”
Jessica Gilbert
DPT
Staff Physical Therapist - Medical Center of The Rockies -Loveland, CO
“Six years ago I was introduced to the LIVENGOOD mobi. This piece of equipment has been life changing for my patients. I am now able to consolidate all of the patient’s medical devices onto an easy to push mobile platform, therefore freeing up both of my hands to safely assist my patient.”
Tanya Kensley
P.T.
Poudre Valley Hospital -Fort Collins, CO
“Mobility is Life, the mobi platform will help patients move again.”
Blas Villa
CCRN
University Health System - San Antonio, TX
“I was at NTI in Boston (2013) and, during the exhibit portion, I wandered across the LIVENGOOD booth. At that moment, I knew our hospital needed this mobi for our open heart recovery program. I worked with a Clinical Nurse Specialist to write a grant for this product. I am so excited to bring the mobi to our program.”
Celina Adams
RN, MSN, CCRN (CVICU)
John C. Lincoln - Phoenix, AZ
“We walked a vented patient with the mobi and it was awesome! This helped her physically and emotionally.”
Natalie Hariel
R.N.
Tulane Medical Center - New Orleans, LA
“I am a nurse in a cardiovascular ICU… Our goal for patients is to ambulate to the chair 2 hours after extubation, often the evening of surgery day. Our patients are up and walking with central venous catheters, swan ganz catheters, chest tubes, foley catheters, and with IV medications infusing. The ambulation of these patients would not be possible without the mobi walker. Every bit of equipment that these patients need can be carried on the walker while providing the stability of a standard walker… It is an essential piece of equipment for us and we couldn’t provide the care and therapies we do without it.”
Katherine Whitfield
RN CCRN
Athens Regional Medical Center - Athens, GA
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