World Thrombosis Day takes place on 13th October and is a day to focus attention on an often overlooked condition.
What is Thrombosis?
Thrombosis is the formation of blood clots in the artery or vein. Once formed, a clot can slow or block normal blood flow, or even break loose and travel to an organ. VTE is the term given to the condition of Venous Thromboembolism which includes both Deep Vein Thrombosis (DVT) which is usually in the leg, and pulmonary embolism (PE) where a DVT breaks free from a vein wall, travels to the lungs and blocks some or all of the blood supply. This can often be fatal. It’s suggested that up to 60% of VTEs are hospital related, making it a leading preventable cause of hospital death.
Informing patients and raising awareness through video
Matron Sam Harper leads the clinical nurse specialists in the anticoagulation clinic at Sheffield Teaching Hospitals that provide care for patients with venous thromboembolism.
We have been working with Sam and her team to produce 2 new videos with the aim that they will help reduce the risk of their patients developing VTE.
The risks are:
1. Preventing blood clots before during and after your hospital stay
2. Preventing blood clots during pregnancy
Sam Harper explains ‘’We know that coming into hospitals and being unwell and less mobile are risk factors for developing VTE, and we are working on reducing that risk through assessment and preventative treatment’’
Sam continues ‘’World Thrombosis Day gives us a great opportunity to raise awareness, teach a little and talk to staff, patients and the public about such an important subject. This year we have developed patient information videos to complement our existing leaflets about VTE prevention; and we are really excited to see the take up and how people respond to the technology’’
She concludes “I hope to make a huge difference to patients by empowering them, through the information available in the new videos.”
On Friday 13th October, Sam’s team will be in the Huntsman Entrance C floor of Northern General Hospital from 10am to 2pm, in the dining room at Royal Hallamshire Hospital 12 midday to 2pm and also in the ground floor outpatient’s area Western Park Hospital from 12 midday to 2pm if you would like to talk to them and learn more about VTE.
You can also find out more about preventing VTE and the risk factors involved by visiting www.worldthrombosisday.org
Health and Care Videos have also been working with Sheffield Teaching Hospitals to deploy a full library of patient information videos, over 200 in total, which are now available on the hospital’s public facing website, which can be seen here.
This video is available for you to purchase and personalise with your logo and contact details for £95+VAT. Simply email [email protected] with your request and include your logo and contact details for the closing slide.
If you would like to learn more about using our videos and libraries, visit www.healthandcarevideos.com, call us on 01626 833937 or email [email protected]
