Improving Mobility in Older Adults Using the Greenville Early Mobility Scale

​Immobility is a common problem among many hospitalized patients. There is much evidence around immobility leading to significant muscle loss which impacts patient safety as muscle loss leads to the increased risk for patient falls as well as pressure injuries. Educating staff is important to help them understand the hazards of immobility but developing and implementing a mobility plan is key to increasing patient mobility. A review of the literature revealed a number of mobility tools that can be used to address this issue. The purpose of this project is to educate of staff in the use of the Greenville Early Mobility Scale (GEMS), a tool that facilitates the development and implementation of individualized, measurable mobility plans for immobile patients. Participants will be staff working on an adult medical surgical unit of a teaching hospital. Staff will be educated in the use of the GEMS so that they can properly assess patient mobility level and develop and implement plans to increase patient mobility. Through the use of this tool, patient mobility may be increased, which will have a positive impact on patient safety.