Early Mobility After Cardiac Surgery: A Quality Improvement Project

Activity Summary

Required reading for all learners: Implicit Bias impacts patient outcomes

In this article, the high risk of postoperative complications among CABG patients gave rise to the need for an aggressive nurse-driven early mobility protocol. The long-term goals were to increase overall mobility in CABG patients on the day of surgery, achieve a sustained decrease in postoperative LOS, and advance the standard of care for postoperative cardiac surgery patients in the CICU. The evidence supporting early mobility after major surgery and the lack of mobility on postoperative day 0 in this patient population provided an opportunity for implementation of a progressive, logical, and safe evidence-based intervention.

Objectives

Define three barriers that post-op cardiac surgery patients face that lead to an increased hospital length of stay.
Identify inclusion and exclusion criteria that leads to safe early mobility.
Analyze the work flow used to promote early ambulation that can be translated into different patient care settings.

Continuing Education Disclosure Statement

Successful Completion

Learners must complete the entire activity and the associated evaluation to be awarded contact hours AND read Implicit Bias impacts patient outcomes. No partial credit will be awarded.

Accreditation

The American Association of Critical-Care Nurses is accredited as a provider of nursing continuing professional development by the American Nurses Credentialing Center's Commission on Accreditation.
Provider approved by the California Board of Registered Nursing, Provider number CEP 1036, for {contactHours} contact hours.

Disclosures

Any relevant relationship between an ineligible company and an individual with the ability to influence clinical content will be identified by the Nurse Planner within the activity. Any relevant relationship between an ineligible company and an individual with the ability to influence clinical content has been mitigated.

Accreditation refers to recognition of continuing education only and does not imply AACN, ANCC, or CBRN approval or endorsement of any commercial products discussed or displayed in conjunction with this educational activity. Activities with pharmacology hours are to assist the APRN in fulfilling the pharmacotherapeutic education requirements for licensure and certification renewals.

Activities meet the standards for most states that require mandatory continuing education for license and/or certification renewal. AACN recommends consulting with your own state board of nursing or credentialing organization before submitting your certificate of completion.

Refund Policy

Continuing Education Activities are nonrefundable.