Nursing Research and Sponsored Programs is pleased to highlight this month’s Featured Publication by Barbara King, PhD, co-authored by Roger Brown, PhD, Jillian Bodden-Hoenisch, DNP, Elizabeth Ann Wall, DNP, and Linsey Steege, PhD!
During a hospital stay, older adults often lose the ability to independently move and care for themselves. This can lead to long-term problems like weakness, falls, and difficulty returning home. The MOVIN program was created by Drs. King and Steege, with input from hospital partners, to encourage regular walking in the hospital through better staff training, communication, and support. In this study, patients who were exposed to the MOVIN intervention showed better gait speed at discharge compared to patients who were not exposed and continued to improve at a steady rate after discharge. Interviews with patients found that they valued walking because it helped them maintain their health, feel less isolated, pass the time, and judge whether they were ready to go home. The findings suggest getting older adults up to walk during hospitalization improves their physical recovery and emotional well-being. MOVIN continues to be tested, focusing on how organizations implement and sustain consistent patient ambulation practices.
King, B.*, Hook, M., Brown, R.*, Bodden-Hoenisch, J.*, Wall, E. A.*, Brown, C. J., & Steege, L.M.*. (2026). Impact of a nurse-led in-hospital mobility intervention on older adult patient functional outcomes and perceptions. Geriatric Nursing, 69, 103897.
*UW-Madison School of Nursing