Mobility and Hygiene
Learning Objectives
Assess factors that put patients at risk for problems with mobility
Identify factors related to mobility across the lifespan
Assess the effects of immobility on body systems
Detail the nursing measures to prevent complications of immobility
Promote the use of effective techniques of body mechanics among caregivers, patients, and significant others
Identify evidence-based practices
Mobility
Mobility is the ability of a patient to change and control their body position.
Mobility exists on a continuum ranging from no impairment (i.e., the patient can make major and frequent
changes in position without assistance) to being completely immobile (i.e., the patient is unable to make even
slight changes in body or extremity position without assistance).
Functional Mobility
Functional mobility
• Is the ability of a person to move around in their environment, including walking, standing up from a chair,
sitting down from standing, and moving around in bed. The three main areas of functional mobility are the
following:
Bed Mobility
• The ability of a patient to move around in bed, including moving from lying down to sitting and sitting to
lying down.
Transferring
• The action of a patient moving from one surface to another. This includes moving from a bed into a chair or
moving from one chair to another.
Ambulation
• The ability to walk. This includes walking with assistance from another person or an assistive device such as
a cane, walker, or crutches.
Functional Ability Defined
The physical, psychological, cognitive, and social ability to carry on the normal activities of daily life.
Activities of daily living (ADLs)
• Personal care, mobility, eating, hygiene, grooming such as dressing, bathing, mouth care, dressing, and
toileting.
Instrumental activities of daily living (IADLs)
• Managing money, grocery shopping, cooking, house cleaning, laundry, taking medications, using the phone,
accessing transportation
Ability fluctuates on a continuum.
Risk to Functional Ability
Developmental abnormalities
Physical or psychological trauma
