Power of Nurses: The Return to Activity Protocol

At the conclusion of this course, participants will be able to:

1. Differentiate the three primary hospital complications associated with immobility, including their incidence, risk factors, and consequences in post-operative and geriatric populations.

2. Apply wound care staging criteria, gait assessment techniques, and pulmonary hygiene interventions to prevent pressure injuries, falls, and hospital-acquired pneumonia.

3. Construct a nurse-led early mobility plan that addresses patient-specific barriers and integrates interdisciplinary strategies to reduce hospital complications.

Immobility is a consistent and preventable driver of patient harm in acute care, sharing a mechanism that leads to pressure injuries, falls, and hospital-acquired pneumonia. When patients stop moving, these complications become more likely and contribute to extended hospital stays, increased mortality, and a significant burden on healthcare system resources. This course provides frontline registered nurses, licensed practical nurses, and advanced practice registered nurses with a practical framework to prevent these complications through early assessment, targeted intervention, and consistent daily practice. Using the Return to Activity Protocol, nurses will learn to accurately stage wounds, identify and reduce fall risk, apply pulmonary hygiene interventions, and build a patient-specific mobility plan.

Despite strong evidence supporting structured prevention protocols, a persistent gap exists between what nurses know and what consistently happens at the bedside. This course addresses that gap by equipping nurses with the clinical skills, decision frameworks, and communication strategies required to move from basic risk awareness to confident, consistent prevention practices across every shift.