Written primarily with nurses in mind, this book provides a comprehensive overview of venous thromboembolism, a condition that rears its head regardless of specialty, killing thousands of people around the world in hospital beds and in the community alike. This book explains what it is, what symptoms to watch out for, how patients should be managed, and perhaps most importantly, how to prevent its development in those at risk. Based on the most up-to-date published guidelines on the subject, the book is pitched at a level appropriate for medical and nursing staff alike, covering basic pathophysiology and clinical management. A chapter is devoted to specific nursing interventions, giving practical tips alongside the theory. Case studies are used extensively, alongside tables, diagrams and text boxes, to illustrate important points. Although designed to be read as a whole, each chapter can be used as a reference to address specific queries, enabling health professionals to develop a greater understanding of the condition to provide optimal patient care.

Author Biography

Ellen Welch is a senior house officer, currently based at the Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine where she is undertaking the Diploma in Tropical Medicine and Hygiene. She qualified from the University of Liverpool with degrees in both medicine (MBChB) and medical journalism and spent a year in the city completing house jobs. She gained SHO experience in a number of specialities in New Zealand, including emergency medicine, paediatrics and obstetrics and gynaecology. A job in the acute medical unit at The Royal Liverpool hospital introduced her to the problem of VTE and she has since been involved in audits in both the UK and New Zealand looking into the issue.