[Pain-free hospital audit: a pre-post assessment]

To evaluate improvement after implementation of care through a nurse-managed acute pain unit in a district hospital, using statistical process control (SPC) 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.

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.

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.