Barriers and facilitators to implementation of early mobilisation of critically ill patients in Zimbabwean and South African public sector hospitals: a qualitative study

Purpose: Implementing early mobilisation in intensive care is challenging, and a detailed knowledge of factors that may hinder or facilitate implementation is essential for success. The study was done to explore the perceived barriers and facilitators to early mobilisation by physiotherapists in Zimbabwean and South African public sector hospital ICUs.

Methods: A qualitative study was done in eight public sector hospitals from South Africa and four hospitals from Zimbabwe. Physiotherapists from the participating hospitals who had at least two years working experience in ICU were invited to participate in semi-structured, in-depth, face-to-face interviews. Purposive sampling was done. Data collected included interpretation of early mobilisation, perceived barriers, and facilitators to early mobilisation. Data analysis was done using the content analysis method.

Findings: A total of 22 physiotherapists were interviewed. In defining the activities regarded as early mobilisation, there was diversity in relation to the specific activities and the nature of the patients in which the defined activities were suitable for. Perceived barriers which emerged included lack of professional autonomy or boundaries, motivation, and clinical skills. Perceived facilitators to early mobilisation included the availability of guidelines, good communication, adequate staff, and mobilisation equipment.

Conclusions: Barriers and facilitators to early mobilisation are multifactorial. There is need for multidisciplinary team collaboration and planning before implementing early mobilisation activities.Implications to rehabilitationProfessional roles/identity and or boundaries emerged to be a barrier that hinder implementation of early mobilisation if not clearly defined.Non-rotational physiotherapy coverage was highlighted to be important in facilitating good communication and teamwork and sustainability of services in ICU.Good communication channels and referrals between different disciplines should be employed in ICU to prevent delay in rendering services to ICU patients.