Does the continuation of the use of low-molecular-weight heparin (LMWH) after being discharged from the hospital from an abdominal or pelvic surgery decrease the likelihood of developing a venous thromboembolism (VTE) compared with receiving LMWH only during hospitalization?Each year, VTE—including pulmonary embolism and deep vein thrombosis—affects more than 900 000 people in the United States, resulting in approximately 100 000 deaths and billions of dollars in associated costs.1 As more and more people develop risk factors for VTE, the number of people affected by VTE is expected to increase further.2 Patients commonly develop VTE after a surgery and hospitalization, often after discharge.2Abdominal and pelvic surgeries, like other major surgeries, create in a patient a hypercoagulable state that can last several weeks after discharge, increasing the risk of VTE formation.3 Pharmacological prophylaxis for VTE is effective in at-risk patients, and many national and international guidelines include such a recommendation. Yet, treatment remains underused: only 30% to 50% of eligible patients receive the correct drug at an appropriate dose and for an appropriate duration.4 Because of this, a review of the current evidence will help support the continued adoption of VTE prophylaxis for a duration that extends past the patient’s hospitalization.This summary is based on an update to a previously published systematic review that was conducted in 2009.5 As new evidence on a topic becomes available, updates are necessary to account for the results the new evidence presents. This update, conducted by Felder et al6 in 2019, included 7 randomized controlled trials comprising 1728 adult participants. Felder et al investigated 4 main outcomes: all VTE, all deep vein thrombosis, bleeding complications, and mortality. They independently assessed the risk of bias for each study, including selection, performance, detection, attrition, reporting, and publication biases. They resolved any disagreements by reviewing the data together and through discussion.Felder et al6 used odds ratios (ORs) and 95% CIs for dichotomous outcomes as measures of treatment effect between various comparisons and outcomes. They used the internationally approved Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation approach to determine the quality of the evidence—high, moderate, low, or very low—for each outcome7: Moderate-quality evidence indicated that VTE occurred in 13.2% of the control group and 5.3% of the treatment group (patients who received LMWH after discharge; OR, 0.38 [95% CI, 0.26-0.54]).Moderate-quality evidence indicated that deep vein thrombosis occurred in 12.9% of the control group and 5.3% of the treatment group (OR, 0.39 [95% CI, 0.27-0.55]).Moderate-quality evidence indicated no significant difference in the incidence of overall bleeding, either minor or major, between the control group (2.8%) and the treatment group (3.4%) (OR, 1.10 [95% CI, 0.67-1.81]).Moderate-quality evidence indicated no significant difference in the incidence of mortality between the control group (3.8%) and the treatment group (3.9%) (OR, 1.15 [95% CI, 0.72-1.84]).The review by Felder et al6 showed that prolonged administration of LMWH after being discharged from the hospital from an abdominal or pelvic surgery reduces the incidence of VTE without affecting bleeding complications or mortality, relative to patients who received such medication only while in the hospital. Moderate-quality evidence provides moderate support for the routine use of prolonged thromboprophylaxis. This evidence can affect health care providers’ clinical decisions when creating treatment plans for patients in this population.As nurses caring for critically ill patients, advocating for the best evidence-based treatment remains an important piece of our role. We must always consider the best available evidence and understand the feasibility, appropriateness, meaningfulness, and effectiveness of any intervention to determine whether it is most appropriate to implement in our individual context.