Nurses’ perceptions of early mobilisation in the adult intensive care unit: A qualitative study

Objective: To explore nurses’ perceptions of early mobilisation of patient in the adult intensive care unit. Design and methods: An exploratory descriptive qualitative research design was used. Three focus group interviews were conducted in 2018–2019. Audiotaped interviews were transcribed verbatim and content analysis was used to extract emerging categories and sub-categories. Setting: Thirteen female intensive care nurses were interviewed from one university-affiliated public hospital in Singapore. Findings: The first category was barriers to early mobilisation with sub-categories: time constraints, safety concerns, resistance from patients. The second category was facilitators to early mobilisation with sub-categories: practical training, teamwork and positive outcomes. Conclusion: Early mobilisation is a multifaceted process. A dynamic team approach is needed if early mobilisation is to be integrated as part of routine care in the intensive care unit. Findings suggest the need for a well-established protocol integrating standard mobility policy and set clear, achievable and patient-oriented goals for each patient as well as effective communication among nurses but also other healthcare professional involved in the care of patients.