Hospital-level factors associated with report of physical activity in patients on mechanical ventilation across Washington State.

Rationale: Use of physical and/or occupational therapy in the intensive care unit (ICU) is safe, feasible, and demonstrates improvements in functional status with early administration. Access to physical and/or occupational therapy in the ICU is variable, with little known regarding its use in community ICUs.

Objectives: Determine what proportion of hospitals across Washington State report use of physical activity in mechanically ventilated patients and investigate process of care factors associated with reported activity delivery.

Methods: Cross-sectional telephone interview survey study of nurse managers in hospitals caring for patients on mechanical ventilation across Washington State in 2013. Survey responses were linked with hospital-level data available in the Washington State Department of Health Comprehensive Hospital Abstract Reporting System database. Chi-square testing was used to explore unadjusted associations between potential process of care factors and report on activity delivery. Two multivariable logistic regression models were developed to explore the association between presence of a mobility protocol and report on delivery of activity.

Measurements And Main Results: We identified 54 hospitals caring for patients on mechanical ventilation; 47 participated in the survey (response rate, 85.5%). Nurse managers from 36 (76.6%) hospitals reported use of physical activity in patients on mechanical ventilation, with 22 (46.8%) reporting use of high-level physical activity (transferring to chair, standing or ambulating) and 24 (51.1%) reporting use in high-severity patients (patients requiring mechanical ventilation and/or vasopressors). Presence of a written ICU activity protocol (odds ratio [OR], 5.54; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.60-19.18; P = 0.006), hospital volume (OR, 5.33; 95% CI, 1.54-18.48; P = 0.008), and academic affiliation (OR, 4.40; 95% CI, 1.23-15.63; P = 0.02) were associated with report of higher level activity. Presence of a written ICU activity protocol (OR, 6.00; 95% CI, 1.69-21.14; P = 0.005) and academic affiliation (OR, 4.50; 95% CI, 1.21-16.46; P = 0.02) were associated with report of delivery of physical activity to high-severity patients.

Conclusions: Nurse managers at three-fourths (76.6%) of eligible hospitals across Washington State reported use of physical activity in patients on mechanical ventilation. Hospital-level factors including hospital volume, academic affiliation, and presence of a mobility protocol were associated with report of higher level activity and delivery of activity to high-severity patients.