Toby-Finn, a 21-year-old Caucasian gentleman, presents to the emergency room complaining primarily of severe abdominal pain. Toby-Finn, who is a full-time university student, was just discharged three days ago from the Medical-Surgical Unit following his laparoscopic appendectomy. Upon arrival at the emergency room, Toby-Finn undergoes a computed tomography scan of the abdomen and is diagnosed with ischemic necrosis of the small intestine and required to undergo another abdominal surgery. Toby-Finn was given a total of four milligrams of morphine sulfate intravenously, five milligrams of Reglan intravenously, and one liter of normal saline intravenously in the emergency room. The admitting doctor, Dr. Sophie, had contacted the surgeon, Dr. Scarlett for emergency surgery. Meanwhile, Dr. Sophie had provided a written order for pain management to keep the patient comfortable. Nurse Molly, who is continuing care in the medical-surgical unit, has noticed that Toby-Finn and his brother Toto are anxious. He initiated therapeutic communication and encouraged both the patient and the sibling to verbalize their feelings and concerns. Toby-Finn later said he worries the pain will never go away. Nurse Molly understands that pain is an unpleasant sensory and emotional sensation associated with actual and potential tissue damage (Porth, 2011). As far as she knows, Nurse Molly explained the acute and chronic pain. Pain is a complex and subjective phenomenon that involves biological, psychological, social and cultural factors. It is interpreted and perceived in the brain. Each individual responds differently to pain because each person has different pain thresholds and tolerances. According to Porth (2009), behavioral therapies pai...... middle of paper......, which include the use of guided imagery, have shown promise in changing pain perception and coping patterns in people with chronic illnesses including pain. Additionally, to keep the patient comfortable, pain control aids recovery and may reduce the risk of developing certain complications after surgery. Through the use of guided imagery and other pain management strategies, patients can achieve better pain control and functioning and will enjoy a better quality of life (Dobson & Byrne, 2014). Additionally, the inability to escape pain can create a sense of helplessness and even hopelessness, which can predispose the patient to more chronic depression. According to Wells, Pasero, and McCarffery (2008), around-the-clock dosing is recommended during this early postoperative period to prevent severe pain and control ongoing pain.