Customised early mobilisation : How about a little bit more?

Early mobilisation of patients in intensive care starts in a multiprofessional team with passive techniques continuing with assistive measures and finally going on to active training including mobilisation leading to sitting and standing positions as well as walking. Positive effects regarding these procedures have been proved in numerous studies and can also be found in the revision of the S2e guideline "Positioning and early mobilisation in prophylaxis or therapy of pulmonary disorders". In order to work with regard to the resources of the patient in intensive care, of the multiprofessional team, of the ward-specific structures and of the used equipment it is vital to apply a customised mobilisation concept. Consequently, intensive care medicine is personalised which means that the patient's needs are determined and precisely met. This and the patient's present physical capacity lead to the adaptation of nursing and therapeutic measures respectively. Some treatment methods and principles of training theory can be applied to the intensive care patient if beforehand the patient's current condition is evaluated by means of specific assessment methods. As a result, appropriate forms of therapy and adequate stimuli of training can be derived. The aim is a continuous process of early mobilisation with the best possible outcome guaranteed by a closed system of evaluation and re-evaluation.