Blogs

A Study on Early Mobility in the ICU is Making Some Pretty Controversial Claims. How Did it Come to These Conclusions?

As far as the early mobility community is concerned, the benefits of early mobility in the intensive care unit are not up for debate. There are mountains of evidence to show these benefits and support the safety and efficacy of early mobility in the ICU, and this is something I’ve documented repeatedly. But unfortunately, ICUs

Learn More > from A Study on Early Mobility in the ICU is Making Some Pretty Controversial Claims. How Did it Come to These Conclusions?

Walking Home From The ICU Episode 119: The Trauma of Delirium After a Traumatic Birth

Walking Home From The ICU Episode 119: The Trauma of Delirium After a Traumatic Birth

How can delirium contribute to the trauma of a traumatic birthing experience? Midwife and ICU survivor, Amber, shares with us her personal journey through and after the ICU. Episode Transcription Kali Dayton 0:35 Okay, it’s time to bring it all back to the real reason for transitioning to an “Awake and Walking ICU”, which is

Learn More > from Walking Home From The ICU Episode 119: The Trauma of Delirium After a Traumatic Birth

Walking Home From The ICU Episode 118 Mobility Saves Lives During ECMO

Walking Home From The ICU Episode 118: Mobility Saves Lives During ECMO

During the worst of the COVID pandemic, how did this Baylor Scott and White The Heart Hospital- Plano CVICU decrease their COVID mortality rates by 30%? Jenelle Sheasby, MSN, RN, tells us about the transformation in their mobility practices. Episode Transcription Kali Dayton  0:35 Okay, I am really excited about this episode, we have been

Learn More > from Walking Home From The ICU Episode 118: Mobility Saves Lives During ECMO

Walking Home From The ICU Episode 116 “In Shock” with Dr. Rana Awdish

Walking Home From The ICU Episode 116: “In Shock” with Dr. Rana Awdish

How does a personal fight for life in the ICU impact a survivor-intensivist’s approach to patient care? Dr. Rana Awdish, author of “In Shock”, shares intimate experiences in and after her ICU stay. Episode Transcription Kali Dayton 00:38 Hello, and happy new year! Ending 2022, I am filled with gratitude for such an incredible year

Learn More > from Walking Home From The ICU Episode 116: “In Shock” with Dr. Rana Awdish

Tyler’s Story: How Evidence-Based Practices Helped Preserve an ARDS Survivor’s Quality of Life

Tyler’s Story: How Evidence-Based Practices Helped Preserve an ARDS Survivor’s Quality of Life

Most patients who are admitted to the ICU in need of mechanical ventilation have to suffer through days or even weeks of deep sedation, immobility, and all the ill effects of these practices. But for patients with acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), this lack of adherence to evidence-based practices can spell the death of their

Learn More > from Tyler’s Story: How Evidence-Based Practices Helped Preserve an ARDS Survivor’s Quality of Life

Episodio 113 Introducción a una “UCI Despierta y Caminante

Walking Home From The ICU Episode 113: Introducción a una “UCI Despierta y Caminante”

“Awake and Walking ICU” – Episodio en español. Que experimentan a los pacientes durante sus comas inducidas? Porque y como debemos evitar a la sedation continua durante a la enfermedad crítica? Que es una “UCI Despierta y Caminante”? Este episodio cambiará a la perspectiva de nuestras prácticas en la UCI. Episode Transcription Episodio en español

Learn More > from Walking Home From The ICU Episode 113: Introducción a una “UCI Despierta y Caminante”

As an RN in the Medical-Surgical ICU at the hospital I work at, I began my interest in ICU Liberation through an Evidence-Based Practice project.

While I was initially grabbed by what the literature has to say about over-sedation and patient outcomes, it wasn’t until I discovered Kali’s Walking Home From The ICU podcast that a culture of sedationless ICU care sounded tangible. The group I worked with on the project was both inspired, devastated, and intrigued by the stories Kali illuminates on the podcast, and we were able to bring her to our hospital for a virtual Zoom Webinar, where she presented on the practices in the Awake and Walking ICU.

This webinar was an incredible way to draw attention toward this necessary culture shift as Kali shared stories of patients awake and mobile in the ICU despite the complexity of their illness. The webinar inspired our final draft for the new practice guideline on analgesia and sedation management in the ICU, and since then we have seen intubated COVID patients playing tic tac toe on the door with staff members on the other side, taking laps around the unit, performing their own oral care using a hand mirror, and most importantly, keeping their autonomy and integrity while fighting to leave the ICU to resume the life they had before coming in.

Nora Raher, BSN, RN, MSICU
Virginia, USA

READ MORE TESTIMONIALS >

DOWNLOAD THIS VALUABLE FREE REPORT

Perception Versus Reality: Debunking The Myths About Medically-Induced Comas

By clicking the Subscribe button, you agree to this site's Privacy Policy. Your information is always kept safe.