The Status of Nurses Working in Surgical Units in Delivering Patient Education on Venous Thromboembolism

Objective: This study was planned to examine the status of education delivered by nurses working in surgical units regarding venous thromboembolism (VTE). Methods: This descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted between May 2024 and June 2024. The study participants consisted of 126 nurses working in the surgical units of a city hospital in Türkiye. Data were collected using the "Patient Education Practice Form" developed by the researcher. Descriptive statistics (number, percentage, mean, standard deviation, median values) were used for data analysis. Results: When examining the nurses' education practices, 19.8% stated that they always delivered patient education on mobilization, ankle exercises, and correct leg positioning while sitting; 19.1% on signs and symptoms of VTE; 19.0% on lifestyle changes; 18.3% on anticoagulants; 18.2% on laboratory tests in pharmacological prophylaxis; 17.5% on situations requiring emergency admission and patient safety; 16.7% on hydration; and 15.9% on elevating the legs and using compression stockings. The issues nurses faced in delivering patient education included difficult working conditions and insufficient nursing staff (86.5%), lack of knowledge about VTE (54.8%), absence of guidelines on VTE and patient education in the clinic (53.2%), considering patient education as the physician's responsibility (48.4%), insufficient presentation and teaching skills (47.6%), lack of prioritization of patient education activities in the institution, lack of teaching materials (45.2%), and low health literacy of patients (32.5%). Conclusion: Increasing nurses' knowledge and awareness through education on delivering patient education regarding VTE and addressing the perceived barriers to patient education by surgical nurses are essential for ensuring effective patient instruction.