ASSESSMENT OF PAIN IN SPECIAL POPULATIONS

Course overview

Performing a pain assessment is routine for many of us. But identifying pain and evaluating the effectiveness of pain treatments can be a challenge in patients who are non-verbal, confused, or who have intellectual or developmental disabilities. These individuals may not recognize their own pain and are at risk for inadequate assessment of pain. This informative continuing education course shares numerous tools and instruments as well as techniques that can be used to assess pain in special populations such as neonates, infants, children, older adults, patients with cognitive impairments, and/or developmental disabilities. Includes case studies. Course Objectives: - Describe one factor that determines the developmental appropriateness of a pain intensity measure for children. - Identify an appropriate pain assessment measure for premature infants and neonates. - Describe one behavioral indicator of pain in the person with a developmental delay. - List two common painful conditions experienced by older adults. - Cite one barrier to effective pain assessment in the older adult. - Identify one instrument to assess pain in the cognitively impaired older adult.