BENEFÍCIOS E MÉTODOS DA MOBILIZAÇÃO PRECOCE EM UTI

Introduction - Several conditions put the critically ill ICU patient through prolonged decubitus and the time spent in bed is directly proportional to the complications these patients may develop. The deleterious effects include pressure injuries, loss of muscle strength, locomotive system dysfunctions, decreased functionality, respiratory mechanics impairment, pneumonias and atelectasis development and hemodynamic, cardiac and neurological complications. Early mobilization (EM) can be a strategy to avoid those by providing kinetic-functional activities right after the patient’s stabilization. The benefits and methods of EM have been subject of several studies. This article consists of a systematic review on them. Methods - A bibliographic survey was carried out on electronic databases such as EMBASE, LILACS, PUBMED, MEDLINE and SCIELO, using the terms: “mobilizacao precoce”; “mobilizacao UTI”; “protocolo de mobilizacao precoce” e “early mobilization”. Results: We selected 33 articles that fit the search criteria used. Systematic review studies were excluded, therefore, totaling 14 interventional studies. From these studies it was found that EM was beneficial, reducing ICU and hospital duration of stay. The need of following an application protocol was detected, as for the ideal moment for EM beginning, some evidence show that it must happen after the first 24 hours of hospitalization, when patient’s clinical stabilization is obtained. Final considerations: It is considered that early mobilization is a safe and beneficial procedure for critical patients and that the implementation of EM protocols is of utmost importance for care services.