[Pain-free hospital audit: a pre-post assessment].
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate improvement after implementation of care through a nurse-managed acute pain unit in a district hospital, using statistical process control (SPC) methods.


METHODS
Each month we measured 3 acute pain unit quality indicators: pain prevalence, pain relief, and satisfaction with pain management. The indicators were monitored on P-charts according to SPC procedures that determine their distribution within control limits and track variability.


RESULTS
The hospital prevalence of acute pain stabilized at 30% after a year. Eight-five percent of patients achieved adequate pain relief and 90% were satisfied with pain management.


CONCLUSIONS
A nurse-managed acute pain unit designed and managed with tools for monitoring quality assurance produces significant absolute and relative improvements in the prevalence of pain, pain relief, and patient satisfaction (P < .001), leading to a savings of 15 000 days of unnecessary suffering per year.
López Soriano
F
F
Unidad del Dolor Agudo, Servicio de Anestesiología y Reanimación, Hospital del Noroeste de Murcia, Caravaca de la Cruz, Murcia. francisco.lopez18@carm.es
Lajarín
B
B
Bernal
L
L
Rivas
F
F
D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006786:Hospitals, Urban / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008485:Medical Audit; D008875:Middle Aged; D010146:Pain / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000451:nursing / Q000517:prevention & control*; D018710:Pain Clinics / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D059408:Pain Management; D010147:Pain Measurement; D017060:Patient Satisfaction; D015995:Prevalence; D015397:Program Evaluation / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011785:Quality Assurance, Health Care; D013030:Spain