Despite controversy about the benefits of thromboprophylaxis, nurses can improve the risk assessment for patients who may develop venous thromboembolisms, says IAN PARSONAGE

Venous thromboembolism (VTE) can be defined as the blocking of a blood vessel by a clot dislodged from its site of origin (Welch 2006). The term VTE can describe either a deep vein thrombosis (DVT) or a pulmonary embolism (PE) (Bonner et al 2008).