The Effect of Training and Use of Graduated Compression Stockings in Surgery Patients

Introduction: The risk of developing deep vein thrombosis is very high among the surgery patients if appropriate precautions are not taken. Graduated compression stockings, that are used to prevent deep vein thombosis, may threaten patient’s safety if they are not used properly. This study was carried out to examine the use of graduated compression stockings in surgery patients and the effect of training given about deep vein thrombosis in a cross sectional and semiexperimental design. Methods: The study was conducted in General Surgery, Brain Surgery and Urology Clinics of a Healthcare Practice and Research Center located in the western Black Sea region between February 2017 and February 2018. Sample of the study was composed of a total of 166 patients who were assigned to both groups randomly. Patients in Group I were given training about deep vein thrombosis during preoperative period; and patients included in Group II were provided routine nursing care in the clinics. The use of graduated compression stockings by the patients and the problems they experienced were evaluated within the first 48 hours following surgery. Descriptive tests, the Kolmogorov Smirnov test, Independentsamples t test, Mann Whitney U test, Pearson, Yates and Fisher exact chisquare tests and McNemar test were used for statistical analyses. Results: The risk of deep vein thrombosis was found to be comparable between both patient groups during preoperative assessment. It was determined that all of the patients who were given training about deep vein thrombosis used graduated compression stockings, and 33.7% of the patients who got routine care did not know how to use them. The problems of itching (p=0.729) and sweating (p=0.225) were found to be experienced by both goups. It was also observed that graduated compression stockings slided downwards (p=0.001) and redness (p=0.001) occurred in the patients group who got routine care. Conclusion: The training provided by the nurses had a positive effect on the adjustment to the use of graduated compression stockings among the patients who underwent surgical intervention. Providing training to the patients is suggested to be crucial in order to provide an efficient and reliable care to the surgery patients who are under risk for deep vein thrombosis, and it is important not to neglect it.