Barriers and enablers to the development and implementation of early mobility programs for children in the pediatric intensive care unit

Objective The objective of this scoping review is to gather and map the current literature associated with barriers and enablers related to the development and implementation of an early mobility program in pediatric intensive care units. Introduction As care for critically ill patients has evolved, strategies to optimize patient outcomes and reduce the side effects of treatment have become a rising priority for clinicians, patients, and their families. Early mobilization of patients with critical illness is the only evidence-based intervention that decreases intensive care unit-acquired weakness; it may also minimize intensive care unit-acquired delirium. Early mobility in the pediatric setting has many obstacles, and routine uptake of routine early mobility practice has lagged. Inclusion criteria This review will consider literature related to the barriers and enablers to the development and/or implementation of early mobility programs in pediatric intensive care units. The review will target programs designed for children and youth from ages 0 to 18 years who have been admitted to a pediatric intensive care unit. Methods This scoping review will search six databases and several sources of unpublished/gray literature. Studies published in English and French will be included. The search will be restricted to publications after 1980. Data will be extracted using a tool developed by the reviewers. The data extracted will be presented in a tabular manner and highlight the key findings related to the objectives of this review.