An intervention to improve compliance with guidelines for prevention of venous thromboembolism improves the proportion of hospitalised patients receiving appropriate prophylaxis
- Institute of Nursing Research, University of Ulster, UK
- Correspondence to W G Kernohan
Institute of Nursing Research, School of Nursing, University of Ulster, Newtownabbey, Co Antrim, Northern Ireland BT37 0QB, UK; wg.kernohan{at}ulster.ac.uk
Implications for practice and research
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▪ Addressing the specific barriers to evidence-based practice can have a significant effect on key performance indicators.
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▪ In prevention of blood clots, four barriers were found: motivation, support, knowledge and evidence.
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▪ Four strategies were used to address deficits: audit, decision support, education and policy development.
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▪ The evidence is not enough: overcoming barriers helps, but there is still room for improvement. Nursing researchers need to build and evaluate methods to achieve much higher proportions of patients receiving risk assessment thereby to increase the number receiving prophylaxis against coagulation.
Context
Blood is a remarkable bodily fluid that provides nutrients and oxygen to all human tissues and simultaneously carries away waste. Special features provide immunity against foreign cells and coagulation in response to injury. It is this latter feature which can contribute to problems in acute care settings where intended or accidental injury results …
