Evaluating the Effectiveness of Nadroparin in Preventing Deep-Vein Thrombosis

Evaluation Plan
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Evaluation Plan
This paper provides a discussion on the methods that would be utilized in evaluating the effectiveness of my proposed solution, as well as the variables that would be assessed when evaluating the project outcomes. In this project, the problem that has been identified is adults who have undergone total knee replacement (TKR) developing deep-vein thrombosis after the TKR surgery. The proposed solution is the use of low-molecular-weight heparin, also known as nadroparin, in preventing deep-vein thrombosis (DVT) after TKR surgery. The outcomes include a reduction in the likelihood of getting DVT following TKR surgery, patient satisfaction, healthcare worker satisfaction, and improved quality of life of the patient who underwent total-knee replacement surgery.
Methods to evaluate effectiveness of the proposed change
To measure the effectiveness of low-molecular-weight heparins, patients who have undergone total knee replacement would be administered a single subcutaneous injection of LMWH per day and it will be in the form of nadroparin calcium, and the dose shall be adapted to the patient’s body-weight. The medication would be administered 6 hours after the TKR surgery for a period of 10 days. It would be started 6 hours after the surgery since if commenced too soon, it could lead to a risk of bleeding. The risk of developing DVT is usually about two weeks after TKR surgery (Blanchard et al., 2010).
Measurements as to whether the patients have developed DVT or not would be performed on Days 7, 11, 17 and 21, and they would be monitored for a period of 3 weeks. The wound area would be assessed using a subjective visual analog scale. With the use of this method, if the incidence of venographically proven DVT is above 1% on any of these days following the TKR surgery, then the proposed solution would be considered as to have been ineffective. Conversely, the proposed solution would be regarded as a success and effective if incidences of venographically proven DVT are at 1% or lower (Bounameaux, 2011). This will connote that LMWH has been effective in the prevention and reduction of DVT incidence following TKR. It is of note that LMWH is well-known to lower the incidence of deep-vein thrombosis by 87 percent in uncontrolled groups and by 99% in control groups (Argun et al., 2013).
The other method that would be used to evaluate the effectiveness of the proposed solution is by comparing with mechanical prophylaxes. This would be done by splitting the patient population into 2 groups comprising an equal number of subjects – each comprising 20 patients. Mechanical prophylaxes would then be administered in appropriate dosages 6 hours following TRK surgery to 20 patients for a period of 10 days. The other group of 20 patients would be administered one dosage of LMWH per day for 10 days. Monitoring would be done for a period of 3 weeks on Days 5, 12, 16 and 21. If the LMWH group exhibits lower rates of DVT relative to the mechanical prophylaxes group, then LMWH would be considered as more effective, otherwise, it will not.
Variables to be assessed when evaluating project outcomes
Staff perceptions and attitudes: this is a key variab...