Pain Management

Course Overview

This Ausmed Course provides an overview of the pathophysiology, types, signs and symptoms of pain, as well as what factors can influence pain, conducting a pain assessment, and how pain differs in older adults and those with cognitive impairment.

Continue your learning with part two of the Pain Management series with Opioids and Other Analgesics.

Topics

• Definition and pathophysiology of pain
• Types of pain
• Signs and symptoms of pain
• Factors influencing pain
• Pain assessment, including pain scales
• Evaluating pain management

Need

Understanding the basic concepts of pain can facilitate more effective patient-specific pain management interventions.

In order to assist patients to meet their treatment goals, regardless of whether the pain is acute or chronic, it is vital that health professionals clearly understand evidenced-based knowledge about pain, and the patient's pain history and experience.

Purpose

The purpose of this Ausmed Course is to review underpinning pain concepts and fundamental assessment skills to support effective management of pain experienced by people in your care.

Learning Outcomes

• Use knowledge about the pathophysiology, types and uniqueness of pain, to facilitate effective pain management.
• Identify barriers that may interfere with effective pain assessment and subsequent treatment.
• Choose the appropriate tool for measuring pain and associated symptoms, to assess and reassess specific patients.

Target Audience

This Ausmed Course is relevant to registered nurses and other health professionals, especially those who may administer opioids and analgesics, as part of the management of acute, chronic and post-surgical pain.

Disclosure

No conflict of interest exists for anyone in the position to control content for this activity. Wherever possible, generic or non-proprietary names of medications or products have been used.

Educator

Jenny Gowan View profile

Dr Jenny Gowan is a practicing pharmacist, adjunct senior lecturer at Monash University and clinical associate at RMIT University. She has published over 500 educational articles, has copious experience in presentations and lectures and runs a consulting pharmacy company. Jenny was awarded the 2013 PSA Australian Pharmacist of the Year award and the 2016 AACP-MIMs Consultant Pharmacist of the Year Award.