Table 1 Interview Guide example used for Australia & New Zealand

1

What was your role with AVERT?

Think about actually providing very early mobilisation intervention (VEM):

2

Tell me about your experience of providing very early mobilisation (VEM) in your acute stroke unit.

3

Are there factors that negatively impact on the ability to provide VEM in your unit? Have you found any ways to get around these barriers?

4

Are there factors that you think positively facilitate the provision of VEM in your unit?

5

Are there any strategies or tools that help with VEM decisions? (Such as deciding whether VEM will be safe or appropriate for new patients)

6

Do you have any strategies to ensure patients were provided with sufficient VEM? (frequency)

7

What is your personal opinion of VEM at this point in time?

Thinking back to the start of AVERT at your stroke unit:

8

How would you describe team work in your setting, or the ability of the stroke team to problem-solve and implement practice improvements?

9

Describe the way your work-place went about implementing VEM in the beginning. Who had any influence on the implementation of VEM, and describe how?

10

At this time the results of AVERT are still unknown. However if VEM was proven to significantly improve stroke outcomes, and if it became recommended standard practice:

What would you recommend to other acute stroke units wanting to implement VEM practices?

11

Who should be involved in organising the implementation of new VEM practices?

12

Who should be involved in providing the VEM intervention?