Benchmarking for unrelieved pain in a postanesthesia care unit.

Abstract

The problem of unrelieved pain in the PostAnesthesia Care Unit (PACU) is an outcomes management concern. This article discusses the steps taken by the PACU staff to establish a benchmark for unrelieved pain and to evaluate the effect of the Multidisciplinary Pain Management Initiative (MPMI) action plan on the outcomes of length of stay and cost.