UNDERSTANDING AND ASSESSING PAIN IN SPECIAL POPULATIONS

Course overview

Course Objectives - Identify statistics related to the prevalence of pain, the difference between chronic (persistent) and acute pain, and the costs of undertreatment of pain as well as trends in legislation affecting the treatment of pain in the United States. - Discuss the impact that patient and professional variables have on pain and its treatment, and the role that federal and state regulations have on the treatment of pain. - Identify the primary elements of the peripheral and central nervous system related to pain, the primary pain mechanisms, and the difference between nociceptive and neuropathic pain. - Describe how to perform a comprehensive pain assessment and factors that impact assessment of pain in infants, children, older adults, and those with developmental delays, along with appropriate assessment measurements for each population.