Measuring Effectiveness of a Mobility Aide on a Medical-Surgical Unit

Purpose: To evaluate the effectiveness of a mobility aide on a medical-surgical inpatient unit to improve patients’ surgical outcomes, decrease hospital length of stay, and decrease the number of falls. Design: A retrospective review was conducted to determine the effects of a mobility aide implemented on a medical-surgical unit. The intent was to ensure the utilization of the Enhanced Recovery After Surgery (ERAS) protocol for early mobilization before and after implementation. Two-month periods were analyzed before and after implementation. Findings: The results demonstrated clinical significance for patients when implementing a mobility aide. The mean length of stay was 1.044 days less for patients with the mobility aide, and the average distance ambulated was 559.21 feet greater for patients with the mobility aide. The results demonstrate a 50% reduction in falls and a significance level of 0.095. Implications: This project underscores the importance of promoting early patient mobility within a hospital setting by showing a 50% reduction in patient falls after implementing a mobility aide program on a medical-surgical unit. This points to a highly effective fall prevention method that would lead to improved patient health outcomes and cost reduction for the organization. In the future, continued implementation for the organization will focus on examining benchmarks and collecting data to ensure a positive trajectory and sustainability.