1. Your Menu of Pain Control
and Comfort Options
Controlling your pain and making your experience with us the very best it can be.

2. Welcome to Exempla Saint Joseph Hospital.
Thank you for choosing us in your time of need. This Menu of Pain Control & Comfort Options
was designed by patients and caregivers to help you and your nurse and/or doctor make pain
goal decisions together. Depending on your individual plan of care, some options may be
1 Comfort items 2 For those times when 3 Comfort actions
medication is needed
 Warm compress/  Re-positioning
heating pad  Talk to your nurse if  Walk in the hall
Ice pack you think your pain

requires medication.  Bath or shower
 Warm blanket Gentle stretching/range
 Ask for your pain 
 Warm washcloth medication before of motion
 Extra pillow the pain returns; ask
 Neck pillow your nurse when your
pain medication is
 Egg crate foam mattress
available next.
topper
 Discuss pain medication
 Pillow to raise your
combinations with your
knees or ankles
nurse or doctor.
 Humidification for your
 Let your nurse know
oxygen tube
after 45 minutes if your
 Saline nose spray pain medication is not
 Mouth swab working.
 Discuss with your nurse if
you have a pain regimen
at home that works.

3. restricted for a time until your condition improves. Please discuss your pain control goals and
comfort options with your nurse and/or doctor. You know how you’re feeling better than anyone,
so we hope this menu makes it easier for you to talk to us about your pain control throughout your
diagnosis and treatment.
4 Personal care items 5 Relaxation options 6 How to keep boredom at bay
 Lip balm  Ear plugs  Book or magazine
 Toothbrush/toothpaste  Eye shield  DVD player
 Deodorant  Stress ball  Deck of cards
 Dental floss  Back massager  Puzzle book (crossword
 Comb/brush  Personal headphones puzzles, word searches,
Sudoku)
 Q-tip cotton swabs  Aromatherapy
 Handheld video game
 Hair tie  Visit from clergy
 Shampoo/conditioner  Sound machine
 Nail file  CARE TV channel
 Pajama bottoms (soothing instrumental
music with beautiful
images of nature)
 Quiet/uninterrupted time
(discuss this with your
nurse)
We look forward to discussing these options with you. If you need additional items
or have any questions, please ask your doctor or nurse. Our goal is to make
your experience with us the very best it can be.

4. How’s your pain?
Not everyone feels pain the same way. Only you know how
badly you hurt. We will work with you to manage your pain.
Use this pain scale to describe and rate your pain. And be sure
to let your caregivers know if your pain continues after treatment.
Agonizing 10 Worst Possible
9
Horrible 8 Very Severe
7
Dreadful 6 Severe
5
Uncomfortable 4 Moderate
3
Annoying Mild
2
1
None No Pain
0
©2011 Exempla Healthcare, Inc.