Enhancing the recognition and management of neck haematoma following thyroid surgery among healthcare professionals: a quality improvement project.

Post-thyroidectomy haematoma is a life-threatening emergency. As first-responders, it is crucial for nurses to possess training in prompt recognition and escalation. Evaluate and enhance the preparedness of first-responders in recognising and managing post-thyroidectomy haematoma. Closed-loop quality improvement project. Knowledge and confidence in managing post-thyroidectomy haematoma was audited over a 2-week period. Data was collected at a primary elective surgical site. Interventions focusing on clinical education were implemented and the results re-audited. Mean confidence scores in recognising and managing post-thyroidectomy haematoma increased on re-audit (2.94-3.22; 2.62-2.83, respectively). Following the intervention, the number of participants who had received prior training rose from 49.1% to 66%. Awareness of the SCOOP protocol increased from 13.2% to 66.7% (p < 0.001). This quality improvement project highlighted a key knowledge gap, improved confidence in management of post-thyroidectomy haematoma, and emphasised a requirement and desire for further teaching.