Session Description: Pain is an unpleasant sensory and emotional experience caused by actual or potential tissue injury. It is a prevalent symptom, impacting more patients than diabetes, heart disease and cancer combined. Both acute and chronic pain can present at any level of the healthcare system. Unmanaged pain can lead to physiologic consequences such as poor sleep, reduced mobility and subsequent debility, and impaired immune response. It can also lead to psychological and social consequences such as depression, anxiety, decreased concentration and impaired relationships. This all translates to general suffering, loss of work time, unplanned readmissions, longer hospital stays, increased outpatient visits, decreased patient and family satisfaction, and slower recovery from medical illness and surgical procedures. One of the barriers to adequate pain assessment and treatment is lack of adequate practitioner education, which is why it is now a vital part of undergraduate medical education.
Speaker: Lindsay Dow, MD
Location: 13-81
Learning Objectives: At the end of this session, the student learners will:
- Systematically assess pain as a symptom
- Categorize different types of pain
- Approach pain management using the WHO pain ladder
- Initiate an opioid pain medication
- Know when to change from one opioid to another
- Recognize common opioid side effects
- Access pain assessment information in EPIC
Pre-Session Assignment: NONE
References:
Bial A, Paice JA, King L, Fine PG, Levine S. U3: Assessment and Treatment of Physical Pain Associated with Life-Limiting Illness. Glenview, IL: American Academy of Hospice and Palliative Medicine, 2008.
Goldstein NE, Morrison RS. Evidence-Based Practice in Palliative Medicine. New York, NY: Elsevier Saunders, 2013.
McPherson ML. Demystifying Opioid Conversion Calculations: A Guide for Effective Dosing. Bethesda, MD: American Society of Health-System Pharmacists; 2010.