Healthcare professionals’ perceptions of barriers to early mobilization of patients in critical care units: A multicenter study within the Vinmec Healthcare System

Abstract

Objective: To describe healthcare professionals’ perceptions of barriers to early mobilization of patients in selected hospitals within the Vinmec Healthcare System in 2026. Methods: A cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted from December 2025 to May 2026 among 192 healthcare professionals, including intensive care physicians, intensive care nurses, rehabilitation physicians, and rehabilitation therapists, working at eight hospitals within the Vinmec Healthcare System. Data were collected using the modified and validated Patient Mobilization Attitudes and Beliefs Survey for the Intensive Care Unit (PMABS-ICU). Perceived barriers to early mobilization were assessed across three domains: knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors. Results: The proportions of participants who agreed or strongly agreed that they could identify patients requiring physical therapy and occupational therapy interventions were 61.5% and 64.6%, respectively. Additionally, 74.0% reported that they would instruct patients to perform mobilization activities when no contraindications were present. A total of 77.1% believed that early mobilization at least once daily could improve patient outcomes, while 76.0% did not perceive early mobilization as harmful to patients. Most participants reported receiving support from leadership (72.9%), regularly discussing patient mobility within the multidisciplinary care team (71.3%), and did not consider inadequate equipment/resources (63.6%) or insufficient time (57.8%) to be major barriers. The median overall barrier score was 26.9 (IQR: 21.5–36.9), with the attitude domain demonstrating the highest median score (27.8; IQR: 20.0–39.4). Conclusion: Healthcare professionals in the Vinmec Healthcare System demonstrated a relatively positive perception of early mobilization for hospitalized patients. Perceived barriers were more strongly associated with attitudinal and behavioral factors than with knowledge-related factors, particularly concerns regarding workload and variations in individual perceptions. Targeted interventions addressing these factors may facilitate the implementation of early mobilization practices in clinical settings.