Effectiveness of a best practice guideline to manage pain in surgical patients.

Background: The prevention and control of acute postoperative pain is essential, not only to avoid unnecessary suffering, but to reduce postoperative morbidity, recovery time, hospital stay and associated costs.

Aim: To evaluate the effectiveness of implementing the Clinical Best Practice Guideline (BPG) "Assessment and Management of Pain" recommendations for pain control in surgical patients.

Methods: Prospective, observational, longitudinal study.