Varicose veins are a common occupational health problem associated with prolonged standing and impaired venous circulation, particularly among healthcare professionals such as staff nurses. If preventive measures are not adopted in a timely manner, varicose veins can progress to serious complications affecting quality of life and work efficiency. Nurses working in hospital settings are at increased risk due to long working hours, extended periods of standing, and high physical demands. Therefore, enhancing knowledge regarding the prevention of varicose veins is essential to reduce occupational risk and promote long-term health. The present study aimed to assess the pre-test and post-test level of knowledge regarding the prevention of varicose veins among staff nurses, evaluate the effectiveness of a structured teaching programme, and determine the association between pre-test knowledge scores and selected demographic variables. A quantitative approach with a pre-experimental one-group pre-test and post-test design was adopted. The study was conducted among 30 staff nurses selected through purposive sampling from a selected hospital. Data were collected using a self-administered structured questionnaire. After the pre-test assessment, a structured teaching programme was administered through a 45-minute group session using PowerPoint presentations and pamphlets. A post-test was conducted seven days later to assess the improvement in knowledge. The results revealed that, in the pre-test, most staff nurses had poor to very poor knowledge regarding the prevention of varicose veins, whereas in the post-test, most participants demonstrated excellent knowledge. The mean pre-test knowledge score was 19, which increased to 35.13 in the post-test. The calculated paired t value of 12.26 at 0.05 level of significance with 29 degrees of freedom was higher than the tabulated value of 2.05, indicating that the structured teaching programme was highly effective. A significant association was found between pre-test knowledge scores and selected demographic variables, particularly age and body mass index (BMI). The study concluded that the structured teaching programme significantly improved the knowledge of staff nurses regarding the prevention of varicose veins. Educational interventions, such as structured teaching programmes, are effective strategies for increasing awareness and promoting preventive practices among nurses, thereby reducing occupational health risks.

Keywords: Staff nurses, varicose veins, structured teaching program, knowledge, prevention

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1. Ali SA, Najmi WK, Hakami FM, Almubarak AA, Alhassan RA, Maafa SH, et al. Prevalence of varicose veins among nurses in different departments in Jazan Public Hospitals, Saudi Arabia: A cross-sectional study. Cureus. 2022;14(4):e24462. doi: 7759/cureus.24462.
2. Sul S. Effectiveness of structured teaching programme on knowledge regarding varicose veins among industrial workers of selected industries of city. Chinese Journal of Evidence-Based Medicine. Vol. 20, No. 1. (2024): 98–1077p.
3. Kalpal S, Peerapur SM, Anilkumar J. Knowledge regarding prevention and management of varicose veins among traffic police in selected traffic police stations, with view to develop information booklet. Int J Nurs Educ Res. 2023;11(1):11–14. doi: 52711/2454-2660.2023.00002.
4. Antani MR, Dattilo JB. Varicose veins. 2023 Aug 8. In: StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; 2026 Jan–. PMID: 29262112.
5. Lurie F, Passman M, Meisner M, Dalsing M, Masuda E, Welch H, et al. The 2020 update of the CEAP classification system and reporting standards. J Vasc Surg Venous Lymphat Disord. 2020;8(3):342–352. doi: 1016/j.jvsv.2019.12.075.
6. Alshahrani S. Knowledge and practices on risk factors and prevention of varicose vein among operation room nurses of the selected hospitals. J Pharm Res Int. 2021. doi: 9734/JPRI/ 2021/V33I43B32555.
7. Paulsamy P, Alshahrani SH, Sampayan ELE, Qureshi AA, Venkatesan K, Sethuraj P. Knowledge and practices on risk factors and prevention of varicose vein among operation room nurses of the selected hospitals. J Pharm Res Int. 2021;33(43B):294–299. doi: 9734/jpri/2021/v33i43B32555.
8. Lal S. A study to evaluate the effectiveness of structured teaching program on knowledge regarding prevention and management of varicose vein among security guards in selected security recruitment agency, Kanpur Nagar. Int J Novel Res Dev. 2024;9(2):232–297.
9. Beebe-Dimmer JL, Pfeifer JR, Engle JS, Schottenfeld D. The epidemiology of chronic venous insufficiency and varicose veins. Ann Epidemiol. 2005;15(3):175–184. doi: 1016/j. annepidem.2004.05.015.
10. Ganai FM, Dar RA, Shafi A. A study on prevalence and risk factors for varicose veins in a population. Int J Health Clin Res. 2022;5(1):17–18.
11. Vashist M. Effectiveness of planned teaching program on knowledge regarding prevention of varicose vein among employees of hospitality industry in selected area of Gurugram. J Adv Med Dent Sci Res. 2024 Nov 1;12(11):106–111.
12. George RM, Rathod AS. Knowledge regarding risk factors and preventive measures of varicose vein among intensive care unit staff nurses. J Pharm Res Int. 2021;33(51A):161–168. doi: 9734/jpri/2021/v33i51A33480.
13. Dhuri PP. A study to assess the level of knowledge regarding management of varicose veins among industrial workers at a selected industry at Chiplun, Maharashtra. Int J Adv Nurs Manag. 2019;7(3):183–188. doi: 5958/2454-2652.2019.00043.X.
14. Ali SA, Najmi WK, Hakami FM, Almubarak AA, Alhassan RA, Maafa SH, et al. Prevalence of varicose veins among nurses in different departments in Jazan Public Hospitals, Saudi Arabia: A cross-sectional study. Cureus. 2022;14(4):e24462. doi: 7759/cureus.24462.
15. Sikder S, Adhikari UR. A study on effect of self-instructional module on knowledge regarding the prevention and management of varicose veins among traffic police employed in selected district of West Bengal. Int J Sci Healthc Res. 2020 Jan 31;5(1):25–31.
16. Creswell JW, Creswell JD. Research design: Qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methods approaches. 5th ed. Thousand Oaks: Sage Publications; 2018.
17. Black P, Wiliam D. Developing the theory of formative assessment. Educ Assess Eval Acc. 2009;21:5–31. doi: 1007/s11092-008-9068-5.
18. Donabedian A. Evaluating the quality of medical care. Milbank Q. 2005;83(4):691–729. doi: 1111/j.1468-0009.2005.00397.x.
19. Alligood MR. Nursing theorists and their work-e-book. Amsterdam: Elsevier Health Sciences; 2017.
20. Mayo Clinic. Varicose veins. Available from: https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/ varicose-veins/diagnosis-treatment/drc-20350649.
21. Polit DF, Beck CT. Nursing research: generating and assessing evidence for nursing practice. 11th ed. Philadelphia: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins; 2021.
22. Naik C, Monteiro PJ. Prevalence of varicose veins among nurses in a tertiary care hospital: a descriptive study. J Health Allied Sci NU. 2024 Oct 11.
23. Dalboh A, Alshehri NA, Alrafie AA, Bakri KA. Prevalence and awareness of varicose veins among teachers in Abha, Saudi Arabia. J Fam Med Prim Care. 2020 Sep 30;9(9):4784-4787. doi: 10.4103/jfmpc.jfmpc_490_20. PMID: 33209801; PMCID: PMC7652175.
24. Baghdadi LR, Alshalan GF, Alyahya NI, Ramadan HH, Alshahrani AM, Alqahtani JA, et al. Prevalence of varicose veins and its risk factors among nurses working at King Khalid University Hospital Riyadh, Saudi Arabia: A cross-sectional study. Healthcare (Basel). 2023;11(24):3183. doi: 3390/healthcare11243183.
25. Costa D, Ielapi N, Minici R, Peluso A, Bracale UM, Andreucci M, et al. Risk factors for bleeding varicose veins in patients with chronic venous disease. Medicina (Kaunas). 2023;59(6):1034. doi: 3390/medicina59061034.
26. Anwar SA, Basal AA, Abd El-Hay SA, Tawfik AM, Tawfik AM, Bahgat ZF. Efficacy of implementing nursing educational program on reduction of risk of varicose veins among nurses at Tanta University Hospital. Tanta Sci Nurs J. 2022 Dec 1;27(4):101–118.
27. Timilsina R, Prasad M, Angolkar M. Risk assessment for varicose veins among city police: A cross-sectional study. Clin Epidemiol Glob Health. 2021;12. October–December 2021, 100886
28. Paulsamy P, Alshahrani SH, Sampayan ELE, Qureshi AA, Venkatesan K, Sethuraj P. Knowledge and practices on risk factors and prevention of varicose vein among operation room nurses of the selected hospitals. J Pharm Res Int. 2021;33(43B):294–299. doi: 9734/jpri/2021/v33i43B32555.
29. Shakya R, Karmacharya RM, Shrestha R, Shrestha A. Varicose veins and its risk factors among nurses at Dhulikhel Hospital: A cross-sectional study. BMC Nurs. 2020;19:8. doi: 1186/s12912-020-0401-8.
30. Mandal MK, Parhi MR, Das MM. A study on prevalence of varicose veins and its contributing risk factors among ICU and OT nursing officers in selected hospitals Eastern Zone India. J Pharm Negat Results. 2022:2156–2163.
31. Rani K, Dar H, Sharma A, Ishrat P, Salaria A, Sharma B, Banoo H. A descriptive study to assess the knowledge regarding prevention of varicose vein among the school teachers in selected schools Jammu. Int J. 2024;6(2):118–124.
32. Bhadarka J, Suneesh PM. A study to evaluate the effectiveness of video assisted teaching programme on knowledge regarding prevention and management of varicose veins among staff nurses working in critical care unit in selected hospital at Rajkot. A V Pub Int J Nurs Med Res. 2023 Sep 30;2(3):93–96.
33. Yadav R, et al. A study to assess effectiveness of structured teaching programme on knowledge regarding contributing factors of varicose veins and its prevention among B.Sc. Nursing students. Int J Politics Cult Soc. 2024;7(2):48–51.
34. Joshi R, Agrawal R, Shrestha A. Knowledge regarding prevention of varicose vein among nurses. J Patan Acad Health Sci. 2022;9(2):77–84.
35. Ramyashree S, Lobo A, Varghese J, Baby N, Varghese S. Knowledge on varicose vein among security guards working in a selected hospital at Mangaluru. Int J Nurs Health Care. 2024;8(1):5–8.
36. Manjula K. A comparative study to assess knowledge regarding prevention and management of varicose veins among nursing personnel between autonomous and private hospitals, Hyderabad. Int J Innov Sci Res Rev. 2021;3(9):1738–1743.
37. Prevalence and occupational determinants of varicose veins among nursing students: A cross-sectional study. Int J Nurs Educ. 2025;17(3):10–17. doi: 37506/xjebs014.

Varicose veins are a common occupational health problem associated with prolonged standing and impaired venous circulation, particularly among healthcare professionals such as staff nurses. If preventive measures are not adopted in a timely manner, varicose veins can progress to serious complications affecting quality of life and work efficiency. Nurses working in hospital settings are at increased risk due to long working hours, extended periods of standing, and high physical demands. Therefore, enhancing knowledge regarding the prevention of varicose veins is essential to reduce occupational risk and promote long-term health. The present study aimed to assess the pre-test and post-test level of knowledge regarding the prevention of varicose veins among staff nurses, evaluate the effectiveness of a structured teaching programme, and determine the association between pre-test knowledge scores and selected demographic variables. A quantitative approach with a pre-experimental one-group pre-test and post-test design was adopted. The study was conducted among 30 staff nurses selected through purposive sampling from a selected hospital. Data were collected using a self-administered structured questionnaire. After the pre-test assessment, a structured teaching programme was administered through a 45-minute group session using PowerPoint presentations and pamphlets. A post-test was conducted seven days later to assess the improvement in knowledge. The results revealed that, in the pre-test, most staff nurses had poor to very poor knowledge regarding the prevention of varicose veins, whereas in the post-test, most participants demonstrated excellent knowledge. The mean pre-test knowledge score was 19, which increased to 35.13 in the post-test. The calculated paired t value of 12.26 at 0.05 level of significance with 29 degrees of freedom was higher than the tabulated value of 2.05, indicating that the structured teaching programme was highly effective. A significant association was found between pre-test knowledge scores and selected demographic variables, particularly age and body mass index (BMI). The study concluded that the structured teaching programme significantly improved the knowledge of staff nurses regarding the prevention of varicose veins. Educational interventions, such as structured teaching programmes, are effective strategies for increasing awareness and promoting preventive practices among nurses, thereby reducing occupational health risks.

Keywords: Staff nurses, varicose veins, structured teaching program, knowledge, prevention

🔒 This is a subscription article

Full text is available to subscribers and institutional members. Please choose an option below to access it.

1. Ali SA, Najmi WK, Hakami FM, Almubarak AA, Alhassan RA, Maafa SH, et al. Prevalence of varicose veins among nurses in different departments in Jazan Public Hospitals, Saudi Arabia: A cross-sectional study. Cureus. 2022;14(4):e24462. doi: 7759/cureus.24462.
2. Sul S. Effectiveness of structured teaching programme on knowledge regarding varicose veins among industrial workers of selected industries of city. Chinese Journal of Evidence-Based Medicine. Vol. 20, No. 1. (2024): 98–1077p.
3. Kalpal S, Peerapur SM, Anilkumar J. Knowledge regarding prevention and management of varicose veins among traffic police in selected traffic police stations, with view to develop information booklet. Int J Nurs Educ Res. 2023;11(1):11–14. doi: 52711/2454-2660.2023.00002.
4. Antani MR, Dattilo JB. Varicose veins. 2023 Aug 8. In: StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; 2026 Jan–. PMID: 29262112.
5. Lurie F, Passman M, Meisner M, Dalsing M, Masuda E, Welch H, et al. The 2020 update of the CEAP classification system and reporting standards. J Vasc Surg Venous Lymphat Disord. 2020;8(3):342–352. doi: 1016/j.jvsv.2019.12.075.
6. Alshahrani S. Knowledge and practices on risk factors and prevention of varicose vein among operation room nurses of the selected hospitals. J Pharm Res Int. 2021. doi: 9734/JPRI/ 2021/V33I43B32555.
7. Paulsamy P, Alshahrani SH, Sampayan ELE, Qureshi AA, Venkatesan K, Sethuraj P. Knowledge and practices on risk factors and prevention of varicose vein among operation room nurses of the selected hospitals. J Pharm Res Int. 2021;33(43B):294–299. doi: 9734/jpri/2021/v33i43B32555.
8. Lal S. A study to evaluate the effectiveness of structured teaching program on knowledge regarding prevention and management of varicose vein among security guards in selected security recruitment agency, Kanpur Nagar. Int J Novel Res Dev. 2024;9(2):232–297.
9. Beebe-Dimmer JL, Pfeifer JR, Engle JS, Schottenfeld D. The epidemiology of chronic venous insufficiency and varicose veins. Ann Epidemiol. 2005;15(3):175–184. doi: 1016/j. annepidem.2004.05.015.
10. Ganai FM, Dar RA, Shafi A. A study on prevalence and risk factors for varicose veins in a population. Int J Health Clin Res. 2022;5(1):17–18.
11. Vashist M. Effectiveness of planned teaching program on knowledge regarding prevention of varicose vein among employees of hospitality industry in selected area of Gurugram. J Adv Med Dent Sci Res. 2024 Nov 1;12(11):106–111.
12. George RM, Rathod AS. Knowledge regarding risk factors and preventive measures of varicose vein among intensive care unit staff nurses. J Pharm Res Int. 2021;33(51A):161–168. doi: 9734/jpri/2021/v33i51A33480.
13. Dhuri PP. A study to assess the level of knowledge regarding management of varicose veins among industrial workers at a selected industry at Chiplun, Maharashtra. Int J Adv Nurs Manag. 2019;7(3):183–188. doi: 5958/2454-2652.2019.00043.X.
14. Ali SA, Najmi WK, Hakami FM, Almubarak AA, Alhassan RA, Maafa SH, et al. Prevalence of varicose veins among nurses in different departments in Jazan Public Hospitals, Saudi Arabia: A cross-sectional study. Cureus. 2022;14(4):e24462. doi: 7759/cureus.24462.
15. Sikder S, Adhikari UR. A study on effect of self-instructional module on knowledge regarding the prevention and management of varicose veins among traffic police employed in selected district of West Bengal. Int J Sci Healthc Res. 2020 Jan 31;5(1):25–31.
16. Creswell JW, Creswell JD. Research design: Qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methods approaches. 5th ed. Thousand Oaks: Sage Publications; 2018.
17. Black P, Wiliam D. Developing the theory of formative assessment. Educ Assess Eval Acc. 2009;21:5–31. doi: 1007/s11092-008-9068-5.
18. Donabedian A. Evaluating the quality of medical care. Milbank Q. 2005;83(4):691–729. doi: 1111/j.1468-0009.2005.00397.x.
19. Alligood MR. Nursing theorists and their work-e-book. Amsterdam: Elsevier Health Sciences; 2017.
20. Mayo Clinic. Varicose veins. Available from: https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/ varicose-veins/diagnosis-treatment/drc-20350649.
21. Polit DF, Beck CT. Nursing research: generating and assessing evidence for nursing practice. 11th ed. Philadelphia: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins; 2021.
22. Naik C, Monteiro PJ. Prevalence of varicose veins among nurses in a tertiary care hospital: a descriptive study. J Health Allied Sci NU. 2024 Oct 11.
23. Dalboh A, Alshehri NA, Alrafie AA, Bakri KA. Prevalence and awareness of varicose veins among teachers in Abha, Saudi Arabia. J Fam Med Prim Care. 2020 Sep 30;9(9):4784-4787. doi: 10.4103/jfmpc.jfmpc_490_20. PMID: 33209801; PMCID: PMC7652175.
24. Baghdadi LR, Alshalan GF, Alyahya NI, Ramadan HH, Alshahrani AM, Alqahtani JA, et al. Prevalence of varicose veins and its risk factors among nurses working at King Khalid University Hospital Riyadh, Saudi Arabia: A cross-sectional study. Healthcare (Basel). 2023;11(24):3183. doi: 3390/healthcare11243183.
25. Costa D, Ielapi N, Minici R, Peluso A, Bracale UM, Andreucci M, et al. Risk factors for bleeding varicose veins in patients with chronic venous disease. Medicina (Kaunas). 2023;59(6):1034. doi: 3390/medicina59061034.
26. Anwar SA, Basal AA, Abd El-Hay SA, Tawfik AM, Tawfik AM, Bahgat ZF. Efficacy of implementing nursing educational program on reduction of risk of varicose veins among nurses at Tanta University Hospital. Tanta Sci Nurs J. 2022 Dec 1;27(4):101–118.
27. Timilsina R, Prasad M, Angolkar M. Risk assessment for varicose veins among city police: A cross-sectional study. Clin Epidemiol Glob Health. 2021;12. October–December 2021, 100886
28. Paulsamy P, Alshahrani SH, Sampayan ELE, Qureshi AA, Venkatesan K, Sethuraj P. Knowledge and practices on risk factors and prevention of varicose vein among operation room nurses of the selected hospitals. J Pharm Res Int. 2021;33(43B):294–299. doi: 9734/jpri/2021/v33i43B32555.
29. Shakya R, Karmacharya RM, Shrestha R, Shrestha A. Varicose veins and its risk factors among nurses at Dhulikhel Hospital: A cross-sectional study. BMC Nurs. 2020;19:8. doi: 1186/s12912-020-0401-8.
30. Mandal MK, Parhi MR, Das MM. A study on prevalence of varicose veins and its contributing risk factors among ICU and OT nursing officers in selected hospitals Eastern Zone India. J Pharm Negat Results. 2022:2156–2163.
31. Rani K, Dar H, Sharma A, Ishrat P, Salaria A, Sharma B, Banoo H. A descriptive study to assess the knowledge regarding prevention of varicose vein among the school teachers in selected schools Jammu. Int J. 2024;6(2):118–124.
32. Bhadarka J, Suneesh PM. A study to evaluate the effectiveness of video assisted teaching programme on knowledge regarding prevention and management of varicose veins among staff nurses working in critical care unit in selected hospital at Rajkot. A V Pub Int J Nurs Med Res. 2023 Sep 30;2(3):93–96.
33. Yadav R, et al. A study to assess effectiveness of structured teaching programme on knowledge regarding contributing factors of varicose veins and its prevention among B.Sc. Nursing students. Int J Politics Cult Soc. 2024;7(2):48–51.
34. Joshi R, Agrawal R, Shrestha A. Knowledge regarding prevention of varicose vein among nurses. J Patan Acad Health Sci. 2022;9(2):77–84.
35. Ramyashree S, Lobo A, Varghese J, Baby N, Varghese S. Knowledge on varicose vein among security guards working in a selected hospital at Mangaluru. Int J Nurs Health Care. 2024;8(1):5–8.
36. Manjula K. A comparative study to assess knowledge regarding prevention and management of varicose veins among nursing personnel between autonomous and private hospitals, Hyderabad. Int J Innov Sci Res Rev. 2021;3(9):1738–1743.
37. Prevalence and occupational determinants of varicose veins among nursing students: A cross-sectional study. Int J Nurs Educ. 2025;17(3):10–17. doi: 37506/xjebs014.