Clinical evaluation of the ASPAN Pain and Comfort Clinical Guideline.

The ASPAN Pain and Comfort Clinical Guideline was created because of the urgent need for a standardized evidence-based approach to the management of patients' pain and comfort in all perianesthesia settings. The purpose of the research presented here was to test the content of the ASPAN Pain and Comfort Clinical Guideline, which included the domains of assessment, intervention, and outcomes. Each domain was rated on clarity, usability, and feasibility using a Likert scale, which ranged from 1 (strongly disagree) to 4 (strongly agree). A survey design was used with a convenience sample of 215 perianesthesia nurses. The results of the study demonstrated a mean score of clarity, usability, and feasibility in all perianesthesia settings ranging from 3.54 (SD) to 3.80 (SD). There were no differences in the clarity, usability, or feasibility of the guideline between perianesthesia settings. The results of this study support that the ASPAN Pain and Comfort Clinical Guideline has practical utility for perianesthesia nurses in all settings. Use of this guideline in perianesthesia settings will standardize pain and comfort management and has the potential to positively impact pain and comfort in perianesthesia patients.