Graduation Semester and Year
Summer 2026
Document Type
DNP Project
Degree Name
Doctor of Nursing Practice
Department
Nursing
First Advisor
Deborah Behan, PhD, RN
Abstract
Background: According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, approximately 900,000 people in the United States are affected annually by venous thromboembolism (VTE) (CDC, 2025). The surgical patient population is vulnerable to VTE due to factors such as immobility, tissue injuries, and inflammatory responses. The lack of standardized protocols for surgical patients causes practice variability among healthcare providers and potentially increases the risk for preventable VTE events.
Methods: A toolkit to prevent VTE was developed utilizing the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) National Quality Measures Clearinghouse (NQMC). A literature review was conducted, reviewed, and graded using the Johns Hopkins Hierarchy of Evidence Guide. A descriptive electronic survey was administered using QuestionPro to healthcare providers involved in the care of surgical patients. Stakeholders rated each component of the toolkit on a 4-point Likert scale (1 = Poor, 4 = Excellent).
Results: All stakeholders (N=5) rated the recommendations proposed for the toolkit to prevent VTE among surgical patients. Unanimous positive endorsement (100% rating of “Excellent” or “Good”) was achieved with six recommendations, while one recommendation received an endorsement of 80% favorable. All recommendations had a mean score above 3.0, indicating that the toolkit would help prevent VTE among surgical patients.
Conclusion: Stakeholders' ratings supported the toolkit for preventing VTE, with 100%
endorsement. The VTE toolkit will be shared with the task force committee and the executive
team to help prevent and reduce VTE incidence in surgical patients.
Keywords: Venous thromboembolism, venous thromboembolism prevention, venous thromboembolism toolkit, surgical patients.
Keywords
Venous thromboembolism, venous thromboembolism prevention, venous thromboembolism toolkit, surgical patients.
Disciplines
Nursing | Perioperative, Operating Room and Surgical Nursing
License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
Recommended Citation
Wawa, Carine, "Toolkit to Prevent Venous Thromboembolism among Surgical Patients" (2026). Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) Scholarly Projects. 10.
https://mavmatrix.uta.edu/nursing_dnpprojects2/10