Online Education for Nurses and Other Healthcare Professionals

The Challenge of Pain 2011

This course focuses on the challenge of pain for health care professionals in all settings. Evidence-based strategies for assessing and managing pain in acute care, long term care, ambulatory care, specialty care, and palliative care settings are presented by national and regional interdisciplinary pain specialists. Teaching methods include lecture videos, case studies, and downloadable handouts. This course was recorded in January 2011 at a conference for health care professionals provided by the University of Washington School of Nursing.

Course Objectives
After taking this course, you will be better able to:

1. Identify regional and national issues in the management of chronic pain.
2. Discuss the pathophysiology of complex pain problems.
3. Describe practical approaches to the pharmacologic management of pain.
4. Describe interventional approaches used in treating pain.
5. Define the impact of psychiatric comorbidities on the pain experience.
6. Compare and contrast current pain management guidelines.
7. Describe symptom management related to side effects of pain medication.
8. Discuss the assessment and management of pain in long term care settings.
9. Identify practical nonpharmacologic approaches to pain management.
10. Discuss the complexities of treating patients with chronic pain who present with acute pain episodes.
11. Describe strategies for building collaborative relationships that facilitate self-management by patients with challenging complex chronic pain.