Post-operative pain management in a surgical unit in a tertiary hospital in Spain: a best practice implementation project.

INTRODUCTION

More than 80% of patients experience post-surgical pain. Poor pain control decreases patients' quality of life; increases associated comorbidity, hospital length of stay and hospital costs; and delays functional recovery. Implementing evidence-based recommendations improves these negative factors as well as the patient's quality of life.

OBJECTIVES

This evidence implementation project aimed to improve post-operative pain management by implementing best practice recommendations.

METHODS

This project used the JBI Evidence Implementation Framework, which is grounded in an audit and feedback process. The project was conducted in the surgical unit of a tertiary hospital in Ciudad Real, Spain. We performed a baseline audit and two follow-up audits to measure audit criteria derived from a JBI evidence summary on pain management. A total of 30 surgical patients took part. We assessed the results of the baseline audit, identified the barriers to best practice, and implemented strategies to improve post-operative pain management.

RESULTS

The first follow-up audit revealed an improvement in practice; however, these results worsened due to the delay in protocol approval and subsequent lack of staff motivation. The second follow-up audit showed greater compliance with best practices, although considerable room for improvement remains.

CONCLUSIONS

Implementing evidence-based practices in health care improved nurses' clinical practice. The health care staff complied with the recommendations more readily since they associated the best practices with a clear benefit for the patient.

SPANISH ABSTRACT

http://links.lww.com/IJEBH/A276.