In order to obtain credit, you will need to read the attached course presentation and then complete the CEU evaluation. The completed evaluation form will need to be returned to the address indicated below. Blood is a fluid carried through the body in tubes called arteries, veins, and capillaries. When a tube is injured, a small hole forms, letting blood flow out. Stopping the flow of blood, or clotting, is necessary.
Blood clotting is a process that requires the following three steps to be successful.
If any of these steps is missed or does not work correctly, no clot is formed. The missing, defective, or poorly working element in vWd is a protein called vWf. VWf is a substance made by the lining cells of the blood vessels. A person with vWd may experience the inability to form a platelet plug from several kinds of events. Such events may include bleeding from injury, surgery, or from a spontaneous bleed.