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

Solutions for Early Patient Mobility

livengood medical solution providing early patient mobility

April 6, 2021

Early Patient Ambulation: What Works Best

Solutions for early patient mobility. As far back as 1949, Dr. D.J. Leithauser wrote that: Ten years ago early ambulation was considered a “crackpot” idea. Today it is recognized and is rapidly approaching a “must” procedure following surgical operation. Seventy years later, Doctors, nurses, and administrators all agree that early patient mobility has tremendously beneficial outcomes, but making sure that early mobility happens requires resources, education, organization, and strategic coordination. How have hospitals and units successfully improved their early patient mobility rates?  The simplest answer is to increase staff numbers, but there are a variety of more cost-effective measures that have helped to dramatically improve early mobility outcomes.

Key Facts:

Improve Mobility: Equipment, Patient Awareness, Staff Efficiency, & Hospital Culture

Steps can be taken to improve efficient implementation of early mobility on all four fronts:

EQUIPMENT

  • It is important for hospitals to prioritize interventions that allow patient ambulation with less staff involvement. (Murphy 2011)
  • The use of an ambulation platform improves the number of ambulation attempts, distance of ambulation, and willingness of patients to attempt ambulation (assisted and unassisted), without increased risk of falls. (Henecke 2015)
  • The use of an IV pole walker improves both patient and nurse satisfaction during early patient mobilization of post-surgical patients. (Nesbitt 2012)

PATIENT AWARENESS & EDUCATION

  • The benefits of early mobility include better coordination and balance, as well as greater patient independence. (Morris 2010)
  • When patients are informed about the benefits of early ambulation before undergoing surgery, patients become more proactive about seeking opportunities for early mobilization after surgery. (Kibler 2012)

STAFF EFFECIENCY

  • Patients who have access to an ambulation platform have improved mobility outcomes and improved length of stay with fewer nurses and other staff required to implement ambulation. Nurses report that ambulation with an apparatus is easier for both staff and patients. (Henecke 2015)
  • Nurses report that early mobilization improves patient independence and preserves patient dignity, which reduces the number of patient requests for assistance and decreases staff workload. (Hoyer 2015)

MOBILITY AS A HOSPITAL CULTURE

  • Hospital-wide protocols and multidisciplinary teams dedicated to coordinating early mobility activities are important for improving ICU pediatric patient outcomes. (Piva 2019)
  • Unit culture (established goals and protocols, coordinated effort) is a critical factor that determines whether nurses will implement patient mobility to the full extent of each nurse’s training and ability. (Krupp 2019)
  • Incorporating early mobilization goals and achievements in electronic health records improves early mobilization coordination and improves early mobilization outcomes. The time required to achieve mobilization and the average length of stay decreased significantly, and the average patient ventilation time was decreased by 27 hours. (Anderson 2018)

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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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Mobi Ambulation Specialist

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