Implementation of the Agency for Health Care Policy and Research postoperative pain management guideline.

The Agency for Health Care Policy and Research reviewed and synthesized the current pain research and developed a clinical practice guideline to assist the practitioner. A community hospital decided to adopt the postoperative pain management guideline using a research utilization approach. Education of health care professionals and development of a pain flow chart, pain scales, and updated technology were completed. Preliminary findings demonstrate a decreased pain intensity score postsurgically and an increase in patient satisfaction with staff response to pain relief.