Are patients in oral and maxillofacial surgery at King’s college hospital being properly assessed for risk of venous thromboembolism? Association of Surgeons in Training 2018 Conference

TY - JOUR

T1 - Are patients in oral and maxillofacial surgery at King’s college hospital being properly assessed for risk of venous thromboembolism?

T2 - Association of Surgeons in Training 2018 Conference

AU - Armstrong, D.

AU - Chapireau, D.

AU - Osher, J.

PY - 2018

Y1 - 2018

N2 - Aim: There are 32,000 cases of hospital-acquired venous thromboembolism (VTE) in England every year, two thirds of which are preventable. It carries a mortality rate of 10%. There is a high turnover of junior staff in OMFS from both medical and/or dental backgrounds. ‘Dental core trainees’ are often not receiving formal training on the importance of VTE assessment. An audit to determine if OMFS inpatients at King’s are being VTE assessed was conducted.Method: 496 Inpatient records from July 2016 - January 2017 were scrutinised for completion of VTE assessment. Results were analysed, changes implemented and a second audit cycle of 412 patients was carried out from January 2017 – June 2017.Results: The first audit cycle indicated only 75% of patients were assessed for VTE risk (NICE guideline minimum: 95%, Gold Standard 100%). Teaching sessions were provided to all junior staff. A pre-operative and post-operative theatre checklist was produced, which includes VTE assessment and made standard departmental operating policy. 96% compliance was achieved following the second cycle.Conclusion: Continued education and training of junior staff on the importance of VTE assessment is vital. Introducing signed checklists as a standard operating policy to guide juniors can ensure completion of mandatory assessments, such as VTE risk.

AB - Aim: There are 32,000 cases of hospital-acquired venous thromboembolism (VTE) in England every year, two thirds of which are preventable. It carries a mortality rate of 10%. There is a high turnover of junior staff in OMFS from both medical and/or dental backgrounds. ‘Dental core trainees’ are often not receiving formal training on the importance of VTE assessment. An audit to determine if OMFS inpatients at King’s are being VTE assessed was conducted.Method: 496 Inpatient records from July 2016 - January 2017 were scrutinised for completion of VTE assessment. Results were analysed, changes implemented and a second audit cycle of 412 patients was carried out from January 2017 – June 2017.Results: The first audit cycle indicated only 75% of patients were assessed for VTE risk (NICE guideline minimum: 95%, Gold Standard 100%). Teaching sessions were provided to all junior staff. A pre-operative and post-operative theatre checklist was produced, which includes VTE assessment and made standard departmental operating policy. 96% compliance was achieved following the second cycle.Conclusion: Continued education and training of junior staff on the importance of VTE assessment is vital. Introducing signed checklists as a standard operating policy to guide juniors can ensure completion of mandatory assessments, such as VTE risk.

U2 - 10.1016/j.ijsu.2018.05.324

DO - 10.1016/j.ijsu.2018.05.324

M3 - Meeting abstract

SN - 1743-9191

VL - 55

SP - S70

JO - International Journal Of Surgery

JF - International Journal Of Surgery

ER -