Deep vein thrombosis (DVT) prophylaxis: Awareness or ignorance amongst staff personnel

Deep vein thrombosis (DVT) is still an underestimated complication in trauma patients. Only 10 percent of individuals who require DVT prophylaxis receive it; the remaining 90 percent of individuals are deprived of DVT prophylaxis because of ignorance and lack of awareness.

• To assess awareness in hospital staff (nurses and doctors) regarding DVT and its prophylaxis using 14 point Questionnaire

• To assess patient comfort with the DVT pump

A 14 point Questionnaire was randomly distributed to 100 staff personnel who included doctors of various disciplines and nurses of wards and intensive care units of multispecialty tertiary trauma centre. Results were evaluated and studied.

100% of personnel's were aware that DVT pump was useful. The compliance of using DVT pump while at work was 0–30%, 30–60% and 60–100% in 6%, 28% and 66% staff respectively. The reason for noncompliance in 36% staff members was busy schedule and 32% staff stated that they were not advised by the treating physician.4% personnel's had doubt regarding the site of application of DVT pump. 72% staff believed that DVT cannot occur in upper limb and 8% stated that DVT pump cannot be applied on single limb. 6% mentioned that it cannot be used in hemodynamically unstable patients while 2% stated that it cannot be used in patients on ventilator. 36% of staff was not aware that fracture pelvis and spine are high risk for DVT. 6% believed that with low molecular heparin prophylaxis DVT pump is not required even in high risk patients. 24% patients complained that DVT pump was uncomfortable.

Despite the availability of resources for DVT prophylaxis, there is still ignorance regards its use in medics and paramedics. There is a need to increase the awareness of DVT, individual's risk factors and triggering events so that we can reduce the number of patients that die every year from DVT and its complications.