Mobility Checklist for Patients With Advanced Heart Failure and a Femoral Intra-aortic Balloon Pump

Literature about early mobilization of patients with femoral intra-aortic balloon pumps (IABPs) is emerging. The purpose of our study is to describe the development and implementation of a mobility checklist for patients with advanced heart failure (HF) who had a femoral IABP and assess its safety and feasibility. A description of the development and implementation of our institution's IABP Mobility Checklist is provided. A retrospective review was conducted for patients with advanced HF who had a femoral IABP to assess safety and feasibility of mobilization. Subjects' demographic, medical, and physical therapy data, as well as safety data, were analyzed. The IABP Mobility Checklist was designed to mirror our institution's practice patterns. It is unique in 2 ways. First, it uses a body systems review screening approach to assess a patient's readiness and tolerance to mobilization. Second, the checklist breaks the screening process into 4 broad but distinct mobility phases to encompass a spectrum of movement. Twenty subjects with advanced HF who had a femoral IABP received 49 physical therapy sessions. The highest level of mobility with a femoral IABP was ambulation (50%). There were no major safety events and 2 minor safety events. Subjects stabilized with termination of mobilization. No additional medical interventions were required. The IABP Mobility Checklist was developed and successfully implemented in patients with advanced HF who had a femoral IABP. Through knowledge acquisition, education, and interprofessional collaboration, mobilization in this patient population was safe and feasible.