Background Patient mobility is an evidenced-based physical activity intervention initiated during intensive care unit (ICU) admission and continued throughout hospitalization to maintain functional status, yet mobility is a complex intervention and not consistently implemented. Cognitive work analysis (CWA) is a useful human factors framework for understanding complex systems and can inform future technology design to optimize outcomes. Objective The aim of this study is to understand the complexity and constraints of the ICU work environment as it relates to nurses carrying out patient mobility interventions, using CWA. Methods We conducted a work domain analysis and completed an abstraction hierarchy using the CWA framework. Data from documents, observation (32 hours), and interviews with nurses (N=20) from 2 hospitals were used to construct the abstraction hierarchy. Results Nurses seek information from a variety of sources and integrate patient and unit information to inform decision-making. The completed abstraction hierarchy depicts multiple high-level priorities that nurses balance, specifically, providing quality, safe care to patients while helping to manage unit-level throughput needs. Connections between levels on the abstraction hierarchy describe how and why nurses seek patient and hospital unit information to inform mobility decision-making. The analysis identifies several opportunities for technology design to support nurse decision-making about patient mobility. Conclusions Future interventions need to consider the complexity of the ICU environment and types of information nurses need to make decisions about patient mobility. Considerations for future system redesign include developing and testing clinical decision support tools that integrate critical patient and unit-level information to support nurses in making patient mobility decisions.