Pain: Healthcare's Persistent ChallengePage 2 of 21

Pain: Healthcare's Persistent Challenge

A photo of a woman in pain resting in bed.

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Authors:
     Fran Laughton, RN, PHN, MSN, FNP
     Lauren Robertson, BA, MPT

Contact hours: 14.5
AOTA CEUs: 1.45
Expiration date: November 1, 2024
Course price: $39*

*Register or login when you reach the last chapter.

Course Summary

Outlines efforts to improve pain management policies, procedures, and healthcare professional education in the United States. Covers both pharmacologic and non-pharmacologic treatment of pain and discusses the reasons for the startling increase in use, misuse, and abuse of prescription opioids. Describes pain management in special populations and offers effective tools for assessing and documenting pain. Describes common rehabilitation therapy treatments for pain, including manual therapy, therapeutic exercise, and ultrasound, among others as well as their effectiveness. Describes common complementary and alternative pain management techniques, including mediation, acupuncture, and yoga, among others. Describes barriers to effective pain management policies and procedures in healthcare organizations.

For Mail Order

To register and pay via U.S. mail, please download the PDF below and follow the written instructions.

PDF icon Pain: Healthcare's Persistent Challenge

Target Audience

Nurses, nurse practitioners, advanced practice nurses, physical therapists, physical therapy assistants, occupational therapists and occupational therapy assistants*.

AOTA Approved Provider Logo 2023 ATrain Education is an AOTA Approved Provider of professional development. Approved provider #6558. This distance learning-independent is offered at 1.45 CEUs, introductory, Foundational Knowledge. The assignment of AOTA CEUs does not imply endorsement of specific course content, products, or clinical procedures by AOTA.

Criteria for Successful Completion

Study the course material, achieve a score of 80% or higher on the post test (the post test can be repeated if a learner scores less than 80%), complete the course evaluation, and pay where required. No partial credit will be awarded.

Accreditation

To find specific accreditations or approvals, click here.

Conflict of Interest/Commercial Support Disclosure

The planners and authors of this learning activity have declared no conflicts of interest, vested interest, or financial relationship that may influence the content of this activity. All information is provided fairly and without bias.

ATrain Education, Inc. received no outside financial or commercial support in the preparation, presentation or implementation of this learning activity and has no affiliation with any company whose products or services are mentioned in this activity.

Course Objectives

When you finish this course you will be able to*:

  1. Explain when morphine and heroin were first developed.
  2. Name three patient populations that experience undertreatment of pain.
  3. Define government’s two major responsibilities under the Central Principle of Balance.
  4. Discuss the purpose of a prescription drug monitoring program.
  5. Explain three physiologic effects of unrelieved pain.
  6. Define acute pain, chronic pain, and complex regional pain syndrome.
  7. Compare and contrast two overall approaches to pain management.
  8. List five common pain conditions.
  9. Explain one over-reaching issue encountered in the treatment of pain in special populations.
  10. State three practices that all healthcare professionals are encouraged to use in the assessment of pain.
  11. Explain how depression and anxiety are related to chronic pain.
  12. Identify three commonly used pharmacologic components of non-opioid analgesic pain management.
  13. Define prescription drug abuse, tolerance, dependence, and addiction.
  14. List three patient populations that have experienced large increases in prescription opioid overdose deaths in recent years.
  15. Summarize three approaches to curbing prescription opioid abuse.
  16. Identify three non-pharmacologic treatments that have been shown to be effective in the treatment of pain.
  17. Describe three complementary or integrative approaches that have been shown to be effective in the treatment of pain.
  18. Discuss three barriers to the effective management of pain in the healthcare system.

*Please note: attainment of course objectives will be assessed in the course evaluation.