The hospital should have a mechanism for capturing VTE incidents across its hospitals. Specific quality improvement projects can be tailored to CCU practice using NICE audit tools.4
A simple retrospective analysis of the records of all patients on the CCU during a particular time period will produce repeated snapshots of current practice. Prospective and contemporaneous data collection may identify and address non-compliant practice.
Exceptions to best practice should be identified and analysed for learning points.
If educational and practice development events are held, this analysis could be used with plan-do-study- act methodology to see whether compliance with best practice recommendations is improved and maintained. Run charts can clearly demonstrate the effectiveness or otherwise of interventions on compliance.
