Applying DVT prophylaxis in PACU

[gentle_ben_RN, ASN]

I was just curious about what everyone else is doing about DVT prophylaxis starting in PACU. Where I work, if patients are ordered the subsequential compression stockings or AV impulses (AKA: leg wraps and foot wraps or whatever you call them at your facility) they are applied in OR and immediately started pumping in PACU with documentation to support. Especially on all total joints. It is soon to be a core measure. What do you all do? Thanks.

[mustanggirl]

The majority of the times antiembolism stockings and venodynes (SCDs or sequential compression devices) are started preoperatively and patients are also given lovenox preoperatively (depending on their surgery). If they order them postoperatively and they hadn't have them ordered yet we will put them on in PACU, but most of our patients already have them on.

[Hopecascade]

Patients are started on SCS intra-op and given lovenox or SubQ heparin pre-op if not contraindicated. We continue the SCS (sequential compression stockings) in the PACU. Some ortho surgeons do not want the SCS on the operative limb post-op others want it bilaterally. Some ortho's prefer foot pumps made by Huntleigh. I hope this helps.

[debthern]

our patients have scd's in the or but are disconnected and come out with just the sleeves and then we have to hunt down pumps and hook them back up, we very seldom use the shoe things unless the hospital is totally out of scd's