Evaluation of Venous Thromboembolism (VTE) prophylaxis and compliance with local guidelines in adult ENT Inpatient Wards at University Hospitals Coventry & Warwickshire (UHCW)

Evaluation of Venous Thromboembolism (VTE) prophylaxis and compliance with local guidelines in adult ENT Inpatient Wards at University Hospitals Coventry & Warwickshire (UHCW)

Warwick Medical School

Dina Atra, Ajmal Ahmed & Max Frost

2025

This retrospective audit evaluated compliance with local and national guidelines for venous thromboembolism (VTE) prophylaxis among adult ENT inpatients at University Hospitals Coventry & Warwickshire (UHCW) during September 2025. Patient records were reviewed via the Electronic Patient Record (EPR) system to assess timely completion of VTE risk assessments, appropriate prescribing of prophylaxis based on patient weight and renal function, and adherence to UHCW and NICE NG89 standards. Of the 25 patients included, 96% received appropriate VTE prophylaxis, with only one instance of incorrect Enoxaparin dosing identified. Weight was documented in 92% of cases, and renal function in 63%. These findings indicate a strong overall compliance with local and national standards, though opportunities remain to improve documentation consistency and dosing accuracy. Recommendations include targeted staff education on weight- and renal-adjusted dosing, reinforcement of timely VTE risk assessments, and the introduction of electronic prescribing alerts to minimise human error. A re-audit is planned within six months to monitor progress. This audit demonstrates that VTE prophylaxis practices within the ENT department at UHCW are robust, but highlights the need for ongoing vigilance to ensure continued patient safety and adherence to best practice.

VTE prophylaxis, venous thromboembolism, ENT surgery, audit, clinical audit, patient safety, Enoxaparin, anticoagulation, hospital compliance, NICE guidelines, UHCW, thromboprophylaxis, risk assessment, quality improvement, medication safety