Natural Mobility is an educational method in patient transfer, which gradually developed since 1989. It strives to make health care providers aware of their bodily knowledge and increase movement awareness and communication.It is to strengthen providers competence in guiding patients to move independently. It is based on theories of movements, fear, communication and change.
The aim of the method is to create a learning environment where health care providers can train the awareness on movements, their thoughts, words and body language and understand the consequences of different actions. The body’s natural power and reaction to move spontaneous is used. Providers are encouraged to reduce the physical asssistance and increase verbal and non verbal communication. How and when technic can be used is also included in the training.
The course is practical formed and built on the participants own experiences, their awareness and actions are in focus.
The core is to try out with one’s own body. Through self-awareness, comparing movements and changing roles health care providers can take a standpoint and chose how to act to support patients to regain the ability to move and for providers to save power. What is communicated with the words and what is communicated with the body? How do we develop bodily trustand how dió we share responsibility? Simple exercises and role changes are distributed together with theories to increase understanding of each ones’ bodily knowledge. The goal of the course is to develop educational aspects, so the teaching will strengthen competence and lead to changes
Physiotherapists and occupational therapist receive the possibility to articulate their bodily “tacit” knowledge and further communicate this knowledge to health care providers and students. Natural Mobility is taught in 4-5 half-days with 1-2 weeks interval between the first four course days and three month to the fifth. Natural Mobility has a health promoting perspective by focising on humans ability and not what they are lacking.