All necessary to understand about mobility and immobility easily . For Nurses and CNAs, and all persons working with bed rest or bed bound patients. Explained easily.

1. MOBILITY AND INMOBILITY EASY
TO UNDERSTAND
Author Raisa Metauten, Doctor in Medicine,
RN,BSN

2. KEY TERMS
• Ambulation: Walking
• Arthritis: Inflammation of joints
• Atrophy: Decrease in muscle size
• Fracture: Broken bone
• Contractures: Joint that do not have a normal shape due shortening
of the muscle
• Orthostatic hypotension :A rapid drop in blood pressure that occurs
with a change of position
• Pneumonia: Inflammation/infection of the lungs
• Pressure ulcers: An inflammation developed over areas where the
skin and tissues underneath are injured due to lack of blood flow
and oxygen supply as result of constant pressure

3. MOBILITY
Mobility is very important to keep
health. When the person move
extremities, is moving the heart and is
improving blood circulation to all body
systems.
When a person is in bed rest or is
bedbound, nurses can prevent
immobility complications

4. CARING PATIENTS ON BEDREST
• The patient on bed rest has been confined to
the bed by the doctor order.
• This order may be for the first 12 to 24 hours
after a diagnostic procedure or surgery.
• When the patient is able to walk or the
diagnostic permit ambulation, you have to
encourage early ambulation (E.g. after
surgery)

5. LEVELS OF BEDREST
• Strict bed rest: patient is not allowed to do
anything for themselves.
• Bed rest usually means that people can do
their bathing and grooming as long as they
remain in the bed.
• Bed rest with commode or bathroom
privileges means that the people can get out
of bed to use the bedside commode or to walk
to the bathroom

6. BED REST AND LACK OF EXERCISES
CAN CAUSE BED REST COMPLICATIONS
• Pressure ulcers due pressure in bony area
• Constipation
• Blood clots
• Pneumonia/Inflammation of lungs
• Weakness
• Muscular Atrophy
• Orthostatic hypotension

7. PREVENTION OF BED REST
COMPLICATIONS
• Turn patients and put in a different position at
least every 1 ½ to 2 hours. This increase
circulation, and pressure is not applied to the
same areas for a long time.
• Encourage deep breathing and coughing to help
prevent pneumonia
• Perform range-of-motion (ROM) exercises as
permitted by patient condition. The exercises
increase circulation and exercises the muscles
and joints. ROM exercises prevent atrophy,
contractures , blood cloths and constipation.

8. HOW&WHY
• Taking deep breaths helps to expand the
lungs and loosen secretions, When the
person coughs, the secretions are
removed and pneumonia is prevented.

9. HOW&WHY
• Performing ROM exercises to the legs causes
the abdominal muscle to move. This
movement stimulates the intestines and help
to prevent constipation.

10. HOW&WHY
• Some bed rest or bed bound patients may be
afraid if the room is totally dark. Leaving the
bathroom light or a night light on make them
feel more secure in familiar or unfamiliar
surroundings.
• When caring for children ask parenting how
the child sleep at home. The night light or
special toy may help the child to sleep and feel
more secure

11. STOP ROM EXERCISES…..
• If the patient report or you note some signs of
pain stop the exercises and document it
• If you note SOB (shorten of breath) during
exercises
• If the patient is uncomfortable doing exercises

12. REFERENCES
• Effects of prolonged bed rest. (2013, October 25). Retrieved
March 30, 2017, from
http://www.health24.com/medical/sleep/treating-sleep-
problems/effects-of-prolonged-bed-rest-20131025
• Physiology and Complications of Bed Rest - ResearchGate.
(n.d.). Retrieved March 30, 2017, from
https://www.bing.com/cr?IG=36232829CD4D49DC822FF142
CED2767D&CID=0C5C69E6DE506A2A3F4F63B3DF616B7B&rd
=1&h=VJV6YORioanACyes2b0l0DfDeYn5Mqmi1FH6sBoEqo0
&v=1&r=https%3a%2f%2fwww.researchgate.net%2fpublicat
ion%2f20106034_Physiology_and_Complications_of_Bed_R
est&p=DevEx,5232.1