Venous Insufficiency Education
Teach compression and skin care for venous disease — adherence, leg care, and when to escalate.
Learning Objectives
- 1.Reinforce compression therapy and leg/skin care.
- 2.Distinguish venous symptoms from arterial or DVT red flags.
- 3.Escalate concerning leg findings.
Purpose
Venous insufficiency is managed largely through patient self-care — compression, elevation, and skin care. The nurse drives adherence and catches the red flags that aren’t just "venous."
What to ask / teach
- •Wearing compression stockings as prescribed? Barriers (hard to don, discomfort)?
- •Leg swelling, aching, heaviness — better with elevation?
- •Skin: dryness, discoloration, open sores/ulcers?
- •Elevation and walking habits.
Self-care education
- •Compression stockings daily, put on in the morning.
- •Elevate legs above heart level periodically; stay active/walk.
- •Moisturize skin; inspect for sores; keep wounds clean.
Red flags — escalate
- •Sudden one-sided painful swollen leg (possible DVT).
- •A new or worsening leg ulcer, or signs of infection (spreading redness, warmth, fever, pus).
- •Cold, pale, painful leg/foot (arterial problem — compression may be harmful here).
Escalate
A unilateral painful swollen leg (DVT), an infected/worsening ulcer, or signs of arterial disease (cold, pale, painful limb) need provider evaluation before assuming "just venous."
What to send the provider
- •Symptom/skin changes, ulcer status, compression adherence/barriers, any DVT or arterial concern.
Patient education script
- •"Wear your compression stockings every day, put them on in the morning, and elevate your legs when you can."
- •"Call us about a new sore that won’t heal, or a suddenly painful, swollen leg."
Spanish phrase
Wear your compression stockings every day and elevate your legs when you rest.
Use sus medias de compresión todos los días y eleve las piernas cuando descanse.
OO-seh soos MEH-dyas deh kom-preh-SYON TOH-dos los DEE-as ee eh-LEH-veh las PYER-nas KWAN-doh des-KAN-seh
Mini case
A venous-insufficiency patient calls with a suddenly painful, swollen, warm right calf that’s different from their usual chronic swelling.
What now?
Show answer
A sudden unilateral painful, warm, swollen calf raises concern for DVT — escalate for evaluation rather than attributing it to chronic venous disease. Notify the provider; this is its own pathway.
Checklist
- Reinforced compression, elevation, and skin care.
- Addressed compression barriers/adherence.
- Screened for DVT, ulcer/infection, and arterial signs.
- Escalated red flags.