OBJECTIVES: In our hospital nearly 5000 operations are performed yearly. Based on document analysis, the most frequently mentioned complaint was postoperative pain in 48 hours following the surgery. There was no Acute Pain Service (APS) in our institution, neither existed a standardized professional protocol for executing postoperative analgesia. Our aim was to organize APS, wide-spread all over the world but hardly known in Hungary. METHODS: Our longitudinal, qualitative examination was carried out in May 2008. We investigated the data of patients regarding pain and analgesia at five operating departments via not self-filled questionnaires and document analysis. Patients’ actual pain was measured before and 4th and 24th hours after the surgical intervention by visual analogue scale. The analgetics received after surgery were documented and compared to application patterns of each department. During evaluation T- and Chi-square probes, and variance analysis were used. RESULTS: Mean age of the examined sample (n=130) is 52 years. Mean of the pain scale of examined patients is 3,98, higher than the internationally recommended, thus expected value of 3. Significant correlation was found (p<0.05) between operating departments and applying frequency of analgetics used, as well as with mean values of the pain scale. Most often used medications are: noraminophenazon, tramadol and nalbuphin products. There is significant difference between pain values of patients operated at departments of surgery and laryngology (p=0.048), urology and laryngology (p=0.036), and surgery and traumatology (p=0.014). CONCLUSIONS: A perceptual form has been developed for regular documentation of pain values measured during resting and physical activity, beside the vital parameters, medications exhibited and the side-effects. Acute Pain Service (APS) has been introduced in our institution and standardized professional protocol has been elaborated for performing postoperative analgesia in accordance with preventive approach.