Assessment and Management of Pain (Online)

Topics considered:

• Pain theories
• Pain assessment
• Pharmacology
• Pain management
• Ethics, communication, international perspectives
• Case studies
• Bio-psycho-social nature of affecting pain to enable students to appreciate the complexity and impact of pain experience, assessment and management
• Evidence base of pharmacological, non-pharmacological, interventional and complementary methods of pain management to develop the students’ ability to critically appraise and implement appropriate approaches to pain management
• Application of pain assessment and management techniques to a range of different client groups in both primary and secondary care settings

• Identify appropriate evidence-based approaches and tools for pain assessment, using the principles of a bio-psychosocial approach
• Critically appraise the theory of pain management and be able to apply pain management models to clinical practice, adjusting the approaches used according to local population needs, NHS systems, complementary care and the clinical setting
• Develop the bio-psychosocial approach and the physiology of pain to illustrate the different types of pain and to recognise the difference between pain which has a definable cause and pain as a long-term condition. Utilise clinical decision making skills to justify the use of evidence based pain management tools
• Appraise legal, ethical and professional accountability in the context of new skill and knowledge acquisition in relation to the students own practice and that which is delegated to others
• Develop problem solving skills to develop theoretical approaches to support improvements in clinical practice

Distance learning. Guided online study, online tutorials, independent learning.

Total student activity: 200 hours