Current Concepts in Pain Management

This instructional course has been designed to provide current concepts and skills related to pain management. As research sheds light on pain management issues and treatment methods, healthcare professionals are expected to maintain competency in assessing and treating their patients’ pain, as well as managing the side effects of those pain control interventions. This course contains current practices for best patient outcomes.

State Boards of Nursing have varying positions on the role of the LPN/LVN in the administration of parenteral pain control measures. A link to each state Board of Nursing is listed here. Competency requirements are obtained and maintained through the nurse’s employer, facility or institution.

This course fulfills the requirement for 2 hours of continuing education in pain and symptom management for nurses in Michigan.

Questions? Check out our FAQs page and How Online IV Certification Works!

Objectives

Upon completion of this course, the participant will be able to: 

  1. Identify at least 2 barriers to adequate pain management.
  2. List at least 3 cognitive techniques used for pain management.
  3. List at least 3 physical techniques used for pain management.
  4. Identify 2 non-opioid analgesics.
  5. Discuss the role of opioids in pain management.
  6. Identify at least 2 adverse effects of opioid use.
  7. Explain the role of adjuvant drugs in pain management.

Curriculum

Chapter 1: Scope of the Issue

  • Prevalence
  • Barriers to Effective Management
  • Patients’ Rights

Chapter 2: Types of Pain

  • Nociceptive
  • Visceral
  • Somatic
  • Neuropathic
  • Acute
  • Chronic
  • Breakthrough

Chapter 3: Pain Assessment

  • Individual Factors
  • Tools
  • Opioid Misuse Assessment

Chapter 4: Non-Pharmacologic Interventions

  • Cognitive
  • Physical
  • Integrative and Complementary Medicine

Chapter 5: Pharmacologic Interventions

  • WHO Analgesic Ladder
  • COX Inhibitors
  • NSAIDS
  • Acetaminophen
  • Antidepressants
  • BMDA-Receptor Antagonists
  • Antileptics
  • Local Anesthetics
  • Implanted Intraspinal Infusion
  • Topical Analgesics
  • Opioids
  • Patient-Controlled Analgesia
  • Side Effects
  • Opioid Antagonists
  • Adjuvant Drugs
  • Pain from Bone Metastatis

Chapter 6: Education and Documentation

  • Education
  • Patient Safety
  • Documentation
  • California Bill 241
  • Implicit Bias in Healthcare
  • What is Implicit Bias?
  • Implications of Implicit Bias in Healthcare
  • How to Reduce Implicit Bias

Price: $48.00

Contact Hours: 4

Course Author

Pamela Clark

Pamela Clark, CRNI, is an infusion nurse with the Houston Methodist Sugar Land Hospital. She has more than 35 years of experience in infusion therapy and infusion education with both licensed nurses and patients. Her experience spans multiple infusion settings including: acute care, long-term care, home infusion, and ambulatory infusion care. She also has experience in oncology and oncology research.

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Course Accreditation

See our Accreditation Statements page to view our accreditation information.

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