Date of Doctor of Nursing Practice Project Completion
Fall 12-6-2023
Faculty Advisor
MCBee Marie
Abstract
The effectiveness of implementing a nurse-driven mobility protocol to reduce LOS, ventilator days, and delirium
PURPOSE
The purpose of this scholarly project was to implement the effectiveness of a nurse- led mobility program in enhancing patient ambulation rates, thereby reducing the length of stay, delirium, and ventilator days in an intermediate care unit.
BACKGROUND
The project was implemented in an 18 bed IMU in the academic center in the Texas Medical Center, Houston, Texas.
METHODOLOGY
The project utilizes AHRQ nurse-driven mobility protocols to enhance patient mobility. The staff were educated on the use of the tool prior to implementation and cyclically during the project. Patients' mobility status was reviewed daily during multidisciplinary rounding. The nurse ambulated the patient according to the algorithm. Mobility tech staff were included for the additional help with the ambulation as a PDCA model
RESULTS
After implementing nurse-driven mobility protocols for three months, it resulted in an 11% reduction in the length of stay. The CAM-ICU compliance ranged from 82.5 to 98%, and the delirium score ranged from 4.3% to 2.7%. The findings suggest that early mobilization can lead to improved patient outcomes.
IMPLICATIONS
The implications for implementing nurse-driven mobility protocols can potentially decrease healthcare costs and improve overall patient satisfaction. Additionally, these results highlight the importance of interdisciplinary collaboration.
The sustainability of this effort is contingent on the ongoing education of newly hired nurses and as well as monitoring and real-time feedback.
Keywords
Nurse driven mobility protocol, mobility, early ambulation, length of staydelirium, length of stay
Recommended Citation
Abraham, Sajani, "The Effectiveness of Implementing Nurse-Driven Mobility Protocol To Reduce Los, Delirium and Ventilator Days" (2023). Doctor of Nursing Practice Final Project Abstract. 12.
https://digitalcommons.library.tmc.edu/dnp_abstract/12