Is Positive Communication Sufficient to Modulate Procedural Pain and Anxiety in the Emergency Department? A Randomized Controlled Trial.

Objective: Research suggests that therapeutic communication could enhance patient comfort during medical procedures. Few studies have been conducted in clinical settings, with adequate blinding. Our hypothesis was that a positive message could lead to analgesia and anxiolysis, and that this effect would be enhanced by an empathetic interaction with the nurse performing the procedure, compared with an audio-taped message.