Mobilization of Patient in ICU

Abstract

Critically ill patients are subjected to long periods of immobility, which often results in prolonged ventilation time, an increase in incidences of pneumonia, pressure ulcers, muscle atrophy, and falls. These morbidities lead to increased length of stay in the ICU and the hospital as well as functional decline, and many survivors complain of weakness for months to years after discharge from the hospital. Mobilization has been found as physical mean sufficient to elicit acute physiological effects that enhance ventilation, central and peripheral perfusion, muscle metabolism and alertness and are counter measures for venous stasis and deep vein thrombosis Early mobility can lead to positives outcomes including minimizing complications of bed rest, promoting improved function for patients, promoting weaning from ventilator, reducing LOS, reducing overall cost, and improving post ICU quality of life. On other hand mobilization has disadvantages such as fall, trauma, hemodynamic instability, depression result from unsucceful trail of mobilization, dislodgment of line such as intravenous line, central line, nasogastric tube, urinary catheter and ECMO lines, high cost needed to achieve mobilization protocol due to need specific instruments. The corner stone of disadvantages of mobilization is its need of highly trained and qualified medical team.