What Factors Influence Compliance With Sequential Compression Devices in an Orthopaedic Unit: A Quality Assurance...

The purpose of this study was to determine the compliance rate with sequential suppression devices (SCDs) of patients admitted to an orthopaedic unit of a level I trauma center. A quality assurance observational study was conducted over a 4-week period (June/July 2015). Three observations were performed per 24-hour period (0700, 1300, 1900 hours). ``Full SCD compliance'' was defined as the SCD ordered, on and functioning properly at the time of observation. Of the 1356 observations in 109 patients, 434 (32%) were fully compliant with SCD prophylaxis. SCD compliance in trauma patients was higher (21%) as compared with elective surgical patients (10%) (p < .0001). Morning observations had the highest compliance rate (38.3%), whereas the afternoon (23.5%) and evening observations (33.1%) had less compliance rates (p < .0001). There was a significantly higher compliance rate on weekdays (33.9%) as compared with weekends (28%) (p < .03). The overall low compliance level (32%) indicates compliance challenges and not the modality of the prophylaxis as the cause (Journal of Surgical Orthopaedic Advances 27(4):307-311, 2018).