Document Type
Poster
Associated Faculty
Sarah Hanscome, MSN, RN
Sponsoring Academic Department
School of Nursing
Publication Date
2025
Abstract/ Summary
Prolonged immobility after cardiac surgery is a significant contributor to postoperative complications, extended hospital stays, and delayed recovery. Early ambulation has been proposed as a strategy to mitigate these risks, although its definition varies across the literature. The posed question is, in adult post-cardiac surgery patients, does early ambulation initiated within 48 hours compared to delayed ambulation or usual care reduce hospital length of stay and improve functional recovery? In this literature review, ten peer-reviewed studies published after 2020 on early ambulation in post-cardiac surgery patients were included. Using PubMed and ScienceDirect, the focus was on studies of adult post-cardiac surgery populations. They found early ambulation was typically initiated within 24 to 48 hours of surgery and was consistently reported as safe and feasible. Exclusion criteria included pediatric patients, non-cardiac conditions, and articles published before 2020. Benefits to early ambulation included reduced hospital length of stay, improved mobility scores, greater independence at discharge, and better long-term functional outcomes. No significant increase in complications were reported, though variability in definitions, protocols, and patient-level barriers such as anxiety and fatigue limited the ability to draw uniform conclusions. Overall, evidence indicates that early ambulation should be considered a key component of post-cardiac surgery care, with potential to improve recovery and reduce hospital burden. Improving physical function and capacity through early ambulation and mobility is also associated with decreased readmission rates and a higher survival rate after cardiac surgeries. Future research should focus on standardizing protocols and identifying strategies to overcome barriers to implementation.
Repository Citation
Bhosale, Anisha Vinayak; Casavant, Meg; and Vasquez, Alessandra, "Impact of Ambulation on Reducing Hospital Length of Stay and Improving Functional Recovery" (2025). Non-Thesis Student Work. 103.
https://digitalcommons.library.umaine.edu/student_work/103
Version
other
Poster