Description of Program
Pain is a common reason for individuals to seek health care. Pain is a leading public health problem in the United States. Yet the experience of pain is complex involving physical, emotional, and cognitive components. As the experience of pain is subjective, one must consider that the individual is seeking relief of distress and suffering. The healthcare provider may have a lack of knowledge, attitudes, and beliefs that can affect pain management. Therefore, effective pain management requires a systematic, coordinated approach by well-prepared healthcare professionals. The program was designed utilizing the latest clinical guidelines and test content for certificate examinations.
Information regarding the General Credential Pain Practitioner program through the American Academy of Pain Management can be obtained at 
Who Should Enroll in this Program?
This program is designed for English-speaking nurses, pharmacists, physicians, and other healthcare providers who have, or want to prepare for, responsibility for monitoring and managing patients diagnosed with pain.
The content is divided into modules. Each module utilizes instructor outlines, audio/video recordings, reading assignments, articles, web resources, case studies to augment the learning process. These methods provide the participant with flexibility in completing assignments and interacting with the faculty. Each module has accompanying study guide(s) with questions (such as multiple choice, essay) for participants to submit to faculty. Interaction with faculty may occur as feedback to study guides, within discussion boards, or via email. The modules cover physiology and pathophysiology of pain, patient assessment, pain management guidelines, pharmacology, alternative and invasive interventions, and managing pain in diverse patient populations.
A textbook is required for this program. Upon registration, you will receive detailed information to purchase the textbook.
This 10-week activity is offered two times a year.
|Jan. 16||March 10|
|July 31||Oct. 6|
|Jan. 15||March 9|
|July 30||Oct. 5|
The learning outcome of this activity is to enable the learner to successfully incorporate current therapeutic guidelines and best practice in the management of patients experiencing pain.
At the conclusion of this program, the participant will be able to:
Delivery of Content
The content is delivered asynchronous via the online learning management system, Blackboard. The internet provides an opportunity for interaction with program faculty while in the comfort of learning in your own home and office. Program staff are available during business hours by phone or email to assist participants with technical issues or concerns.
Note: Many businesses, especially government agencies or health institutions, utilize security firewalls. Access to web links within program and communication from the instructor, or other students may be blocked. We recommend not using your work email address for this course.
40 contact hours (6 hours specific to Pharmacotherapeutics)
The program content meets the pharmacology continuing education requirements for the renewal of the advanced practice nurse prescriptive authority license. Nurses will receive 40 total contact hours of which 6 hours are specific to Pharmacology.
Pharmacists will receive 40 contact hours for completion of this program. The Pharmacists Education Foundation is approved by the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education as a provider of continuing pharmaceutical education. ACPE accreditation #120-999-07-201-H01-P.
Successful completion of this program does not guarantee expertise in the content. Clinical experience and judgment coupled with an understanding of the content are necessary to attain competency. Achieving certification is a means to demonstrate competency.
Criteria for Successful Completion
The certificates will be sent via email within approximately 30 days following the completion of the program.