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Abstract

Background: Deep vein thrombosis (DVT) is a serious and preventable condition that affects millions globally each year and poses significant clinical risks, including pulmonary embolism (PE), which can be life-threatening. Nurses are essential frontline providers in DVT prevention, yet evidence suggests considerable gaps in their knowledge and practice. Structured educational interventions offer a promising approach to bridging these gaps and enhancing patient outcomes in hospital settings.
Objective: To evaluate the effectiveness of an educational session on improving nurses’ knowledge regarding DVT prevention in a tertiary care hospital.
Methods: A quantitative, quasi-experimental pretest-posttest study was conducted over a period of four months in a government tertiary care hospital. Using a convenience sampling technique, 140 registered nurses working in medical wards, surgical wards, ICUs, and HDUs were recruited. Inclusion criteria included registered nurses of either gender who consented to participate. A validated self-administered questionnaire consisting of demographic data and 33 knowledge statements was used to assess participants’ understanding before and after the educational intervention. The session was delivered using a PowerPoint presentation, and data were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics.
Results: Among the participants, 92.85% were over 25 years of age, and 71.42% had more than 10 years of professional experience. The majority (82.85%) held BSN degrees, while only 15.1% had diplomas. Pre-intervention, less than 60% of participants demonstrated adequate knowledge of DVT prevention. Following the session, over 80% of nurses achieved good knowledge scores. All 33 knowledge items showed statistically significant improvement with p-values < 0.001, confirming the intervention’s effectiveness.
Conclusion: The educational intervention significantly enhanced nurses’ knowledge regarding DVT prevention. The findings underscore the need for regular training and the development of institutional policies to support DVT prophylaxis compliance and reduce patient risk.