Capturing patient mobility levels in the hospital: An examination of nursing charting and behavioural mapping

Aims: Our study aimed to (1) validate the accuracy of nursing mobility documentation and (2) identify the most effective timings for behavioural mapping.

Design: We monitored the mobility of 55 inpatients using behavioural mapping throughout a nursing day shift, comparing the observed mobility levels with the nursing charting in the electronic health record during the same period.

Results: Our results showed a high level of agreement between nursing records and observed mobility, with improved accuracy observed particularly when documentation was at 12 PM or later. Behavioural mapping observations revealed that the most effective timeframe to observe the highest levels of patient mobility was between 10 AM AND 2 PM.

Conclusion: To truly understand patient mobility, comparing nursing charting with methods like behavioural mapping is beneficial. This comparison helps evaluate how well nursing records reflect actual patient mobility and offers insights into the best times for charting to capture peak mobility. While behavioural mapping is a valuable tool for auditing patient mobility, its high resource demands limit its regular use. Thus, determining the most effective times and durations for observations is key for practical implementation in hospital mobility audits.

Implication for the profession and/or patient care: Nurses are pivotal in ensuring patient mobility in hospitals, an essential element of quality care. Their role involves safely mobilizing patients and accurately charting their mobility levels during each shift. For nursing practice, this research underscores that nurse charting can accurately reflect patient mobility, and highlights that recording the patient's highest level of mobility later in the shift offers a more precise representation of their actual mobility.

Reporting method: Strobe.

Patient or public contribution: No Patient or Public Contribution.