FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

The inclusion criterion “Adult (≥ 18 years old) within 48 hours of ICU admission“ allows patients to be included even after the weekend, provided they are within the specified 48-hour timeframe. 

Yes, regardless of the time of admission, the day on which the patient was admitted to the ICU is counted as ICU Day 1. The relevant documentation must be completed. 

Yes, this documentation must also be completed on the day of admission. 

The study visits refer to the ICU days. The day of admission to the ICU is counted as study visit 1. This is important, for example, to be able to determine when mobilisation of critically ill patients was started. 

Yes, we also need information regarding mobilisation on the day of admission so that we can determine within what timeframe the patient´s mobilisation began. 

Yes, at least one mobilisation session must be documented everyday – regardless of whether mobilisation has been carried out or not. If no mobilisation was carried out, provide the main reason for not mobilising the patient (e.g., little resources, patient refusal). 

Yes, patient mobilisation must be documented daily (7 days a week). If the study team usually takes care of documenting mobilisation, it must be ensured that the ICU routine team fully documents mobilisation at weekends. 

This mobility level “Passively sitting in chair” includes sitting passively in a chair, in a wheelchair, or on the edge of the bed (e.g., cross-sitting with mechanical support device).  

For example: 

• The patient is mobilised by a physiotherapist. Firstly, the patient sits on the edge of the bed for 15 minutes with some trunk control and support from the physiotherapist. The physiotherapist then secures a mechanical support device to the bed so that the patient can continue to sit on the edge of the bed. Once the device has been successfully attached, the physiotherapist leaves the room. The patient remainsseated with the mechanical support device for additional 2 hours before being transferred back to the bed by nursing staff. Record the time up to the point the physiotherapist leaves as level “sitting over edge of bed”. The time the patient spends sitting with the mechanical support device is equivalent to the level “passively sitting in chair” and should be documented at this level plus “passive transfer to chair (vice versa)”. 

This mobility level also includes the transfer in the opposite direction (transfer from chair to bed) and the transfer from a supine position to the edge of the bed, provided that in-bed chair devices are used. 

For example: 

• A patient sits on the edge of the bed for 2 hours with a mechanical support device and is then passively transferred back into a supine position. Please also record the passive transfer. 

• A patient is passively moved from their bed to a chair and then sits in the chair for several hours before being passively moved back again. Record the duration of sitting and the transfer times.  

The mobility level “Active stand-step/shuffle transfer” includes the transfer from bed to chair and the opposite direction (transfer from chair to bed). 

Sitting break > 10 minutes à mobilisation session must be ended, a new session must be started if mobilisation is to continue (e.g., restarting walking) 

For example: 

• A patient sits on the edge of the bed, walks for 20 minutes, takes a 5-minute sitting break, and then walks for further 10 minutes before returning to bed. This counts as 1 mobilisations session. 

• A patient sits on the edge of the bed, walks for 20 minutes, takes a 15-minute sitting break, and then walks for further 10 minutes before returning to bed. Count the time spent sitting on the edge of the bed and walking for 20 minutes as one mobilisation session. The time spent sitting in the chair and walking back to bed counts as a separate mobilisation session. 

If a patient is marching on the spot and walking during a mobilisation session, record the entire duration (marching on spot + walking) under the mobility level “walking”. 

For example:  

• A patient walks on the spot for 3 minutes. The patient then walks ≥ 5 metres with a nurse for 10 minutes. Record the total time (13 minutes) in the level “Walking ≥ 5m/15ft with one person”. 

There is a timeframe of ± 2 days for conducting the ICU discharge assessments (functional tests). This allows patients to be tested, for example, as early as Friday or the following Monday. It is important that the assessments are carried out as close as possible to the discharge date. Please note that the FSS-ICU at discharge is the primary endpoint of the ERUPT study.