Abstract:

Objective To evaluate the effects of ceiling lifts on early mobilization in ventilated ICU patients. Methods A total of 104 ventilated patients admitted to the ICU of a tertiary class A hospital in Hangzhou from March 2023 to November 2023 were enrolled and randomized into the experimental group（n=52） and the control group（n=52）. The experimental group received ceiling lift-based early mobilization，while the control group received conventional early mobilization. Outcomes were compared between the two groups，including initiation time to first bedside sitting and standing，average daily mobilization dosage，incidence of ICU-acquired weakness，duration of mechanical ventilation，length of ICU stay，safety，as well as patients’ and nurses’ experiences with early mobilization. Results Compared with the control group，the experimental group showed significantly earlier first bedside sitting and standing，higher average daily mobilization dosage，lower ICU-acquired weakness incidence，and greater satisfaction among patients and nurses（all P<0.05）. No significant differences were observed in duration of mechanical ventilation，length of ICU stay，or early mobilization-related adverse events（P>0.05）. Conclusion Ceiling lifts facilitate earlier out-of-bed mobilization，increase daily mobilization dosage，reduce ICU-acquired weakness，and improve satisfaction among patients and nurses，offering a novel strategy for high-quality rehabilitation in ventilated ICU patients.

Key words: Mechanical Ventilation, Lift, Early Mobilization, Intensive Care Unit-Acquired Weakness, Nursing Care