Effect of Graded Early Mobilization on Psychomotor Status and Length of Intensive Care Unit Stay in Mechanically Ventilated Patients

INTRODUCTION: The main purpose of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of graded early mobilization on psychomotor status and duration of ICU stay of patients with mechanical ventilation. MATERIALS AND METHODS: DESIGN: Quasi-experimental study. SETTING: BRB Hospitals Limited, Dhaka, Bangladesh. A reputed 500-beddedgeneral hospital with 30 ICU beds. PARTICIPANTS: A total of 30 patients were selected as participants in the study from the hospital. 15 patients were included in the ICU treatment group and the remaining 15 were in the intervention group using the purposive sampling method. SCALES USED: Functional independence measure (FIM) scale and 7 point generalized anxiety depression (GAD-7) scale. INTERVENTION: Graded early mobilization was provided as an intervention to all participants of the intervention group by a professionally qualified ICU physiotherapist for 10 sessions. Most of the patients received multiple sessions of intervention within a day. RESULTS: In the control group mean FIM score was 17.40 (SD±4.88), and in the intervention group mean score was 65.70 (SD±12.18). The mean difference was statistically significant in the ‘t’ test (p-value > 0.001). In the control group, the mean GAD-7 score was 19.50 (SD±2.71), and in the intervention group the mean GAD-7 score was 7.5 (SD±2.59). The mean difference was statistically significant in the ‘t’ test. (p-value > 0.001). The mean length of ICU stay in the control group was 5.60 (SD±1.07) and in the intervention group it was 3.10 (SD±0.56). The mean difference was statistically significant in the ‘t’ test (p-value > 0.001). CONCLUSION: This research showed that graded early mobilization was highly effective to improve the motor and psychological status of mechanically ventilated patients and reduce their length of ICU stay. HOW TO CITE THIS ARTICLE: Das B, Saha S, Kabir F, Hossain S. Effect of Graded Early Mobilization on Psychomotor Status and Length of Intensive Care Unit Stay in Mechanically Ventilated Patients. Indian J Crit Care Med 2021;25(4):416–420.