Clinical surveys continue to indicate that routine orders for intramuscular injections of opioid "as needed" fail to relieve pain in about half of postoperative patients. Not all acute postoperative, procedural, or trauma-related pain can be eliminated, but several alternative approaches, when appropriately and attentively applied, prevent or relieve pain. The importance of effective pain management increases beyond patient satisfaction when additional benefits for the patient are realized, e.g. earlier mobilization, shortened hospital stay, and reduced costs. Patients have a right to treatment that includes prevention or adequate relief of pain.