A
It appears that the simple act of inquiring about pain and then instructing the patient to relax is in some instances enough to lower pain significantly,
as long as it includes offering to make adjustments to the environment such as turning down the lights,
pulling the window shades,
supplying a blanket,
turning off cell phones,
reassuring the patient that someone will reassess his or her pain in 20 minutes,
and putting a ‘‘Do Not Disturb’’ sign on the door to ensure