How should airway clearance strategies be integrated with mobilization?

• A. Delay airway clearance until after mobilization.
• B. Coordinate with respiratory therapy; use incentive spirometry and effective coughing with movement; mobilization may aid secretion clearance.
• C. Mobilization should be performed with no airway therapy involvement.
• D. Airway clearance should be performed exclusively before mobilization.

Answer: (B)

Integrating airway clearance with mobilization leverages movement to improve ventilation and mucus clearance. Coordinating with respiratory therapy, use incentive spirometry to promote lung expansion and mobilize airways, and perform an effective cough during or after movement to clear secretions. Mobilization can aid secretion clearance by enhancing diaphragmatic excursion, promoting gravity-assisted drainage, and boosting mucociliary clearance; pairing it with airway clearance strategies ensures secretions are moved toward the large airways during activity and then expelled. Timing and safety matter: therapies should be woven into the mobilization plan with monitoring of oxygenation, heart rate and blood pressure, and secretion burden. This integrated approach often yields better clearance and lung mechanics than airway therapy alone or in isolation.