Course Code: REL-PAC-ELNEC-USMPMPC
Hours: 2
Type: Online Course
Content Expiration Date: 12/31/2026
Learning Objectives:
Describe the domains of pain and how these relate to a holistic assessment, with special consideration of barriers to equitable and quality care.
Describe pharmacological and nonpharmacological interventions to optimize comfort.
Identify the nurse’s role in addressing the undertreatment of pain.
Outline:
About This Module
Learning Objectives
Section 2: Introduction to Pain Care
What Is Pain?
Pain Is Multidimensional
Biopsychosocial/Spiritual Model
Section 3: Holistic Pain Assessment
Sources of Pan
Types of Pain
Pain Assessment: Biological/Physical Domain
A Helpful Mnemonic
Pain Assessment: Psychosocial and Affective Domain
Pain Assessment: Spiritual Domain
Pain Assessment Interview
Key Points from the Interview
Practice
Physical Examination
Reassess Pain
Communicating Pain Assessment
Key Points on Communication
Review
Summary
Section 4: Pain Management
It Takes a Team
Acetaminophen
NSAIDs
Pain Question
Commonly Used Opioids
Adverse Effects of Opioid Administration
Adjuvant Therapy
Routes of Administration
Opioid Formulations
Breakthrough Pain (BTP)
What Is Equianalgesia?
Consequence of Undertreatment
Nonpharmacologic Strategies
Summary
Section 5: Challenges in Pain Management
Barriers to Pain Relief
Review of Barriers to Pain Relief
Undertreatment in Substance Use Disorder
Managing Pain in SUD
Pain Question
Undertreatment in Children
Pediatric Pain
Undertreatment in Older Adults
Others at Risk
Your Critical Role as the Nurse
Review
Summary
Section 6: Conclusion
Module Summary
Course Contributors
Resources
References
Subject Matter Expert: 2023 ELNEC Undergrad New Graduate Series
The content for this course was written by The ELNEC Project Team.
The ELNEC Project, which began in 2000, is a collaboration between City of Hope, Duarte, CA and the American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN), Washington, DC. For more information about ELNEC, go to www.aacnnursing.org/ELNEC
The content for this course was revised by:
Andra Davis, PhD, MN, RN, Associate Professor and ELNEC Co-Investigator, School of Nursing and Health Innovations, University of Portland.
Dr. Davis has clinical expertise in oncology, palliative and hospice care. As nursing faculty at University of Portland School of Nursing and Health Innovations in Portland, Oregon, she teaches undergraduate, graduate, and Integrative Health and Wellness students. Her research expertise focuses in two areas: palliative care education and use of evidence-based guidelines in cancer symptom care. She is the co-investigator with the End-of-Life Nursing Education Consortium (ELNEC) focused on supporting schools of nursing to advance palliative care education for undergraduate and graduate students. Dr. Davis has a collaborative research partnership developing palliative care outcome measures for use in undergraduate nursing education. A ‘research hub’ housed at University of Portland was created for educators around the country to access these palliative care education evaluation measures and for ongoing psychometric evaluation of the tools.
Megan Lippe, PhD, MSN, RN, Associate Professor and ELNEC Co-Investigator, School of Nursing, UT Health San Antonio.
Dr. Megan Lippe is an Associate Professor with tenure and palliative care expert. She has been recognized as an emerging national leader for palliative nursing care education with published works in areas related to palliative care education, simulation, interprofessional education, and social justice. She is the co-lead of a research team evaluating implementation and outcomes for the End-of-Life Nursing Education Consortium (ELNEC) Undergraduate Curriculum. Dr. Lippe has been a registered nurse since 2009, and earned her BSN, MSN, and PhD degrees from the University of Texas at Austin. She taught at the UT Austin from 2011-2016 and the University of Alabama from 2016-2021. Dr. Lippe joined the faculty at UT Health San Antonio in the fall 2021. In collaboration with colleagues, Dr. Lippe has conducted multiple studies that have resulted in the creation of new quantitative measures to assess primary palliative care curriculum, self-competence, knowledge and competence for nursing students and entry-to-practice nurses. She has developed and tested multiple, high-fidelity, palliative care simulations and has worked as a simulation consultant and specialist. Dr. Lippe is a 2019 Cambia Sojourns and recipient of the 2017 ELNEC Award and 2019 Hospice and Palliative Nurses Association New Investigator Award.
Target Audience:
The target audience for this course is: General Staff; in the following settings: Hospice, Palliative Care.
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Course Delivery Method and Format
Asynchronous Distance Learning with interactivity which includes quizzes with questions/answers, and posttests.