Lesson 1Validated self-report tools: Numeric Rating Scale (NRS), Visual Analogue Scale (VAS), Verbal Descriptor Scale (VDS) and when to use eachCovers major adult self-report scales, including NRS, VAS, and VDS, with guidance on indications, limitations, cultural and literacy considerations, and how to interpret scores in context of function, goals, and treatment response.
Numeric Rating Scale: use and limitationsVisual Analogue Scale: technique and pitfallsVerbal Descriptor Scale and patient selectionChoosing the right scale for each patientInterpreting scores with functional outcomesLesson 2Tools for chronic pain assessment: PainDETECT, DN4, Brief Pain Inventory (BPI) and functional impact measurementReviews key tools for chronic pain assessment, including PainDETECT, DN4, and the Brief Pain Inventory, with emphasis on functional impact, activity limitations, and integrating scores into longitudinal care and treatment planning.
Using PainDETECT for neuropathic pain screeningApplying DN4 in clinical neuropathic assessmentBrief Pain Inventory scoring and interpretationMeasuring function, disability, and participationTracking chronic pain outcomes over timeLesson 3Behavioral and observational tools for adults: PAINAD, CPOT, and assessing nonverbal cues in postoperative and anxious patientsCovers use of PAINAD, CPOT, and structured observation to assess pain in adults who are sedated, intubated, cognitively impaired, anxious, or immediately postoperative, emphasizing reliability, bias reduction, and team communication.
PAINAD scoring and interpretation in adult patientsUsing CPOT in ventilated and sedated ICU patientsRecognizing nonverbal pain cues and pain behaviorsDifferentiating pain from anxiety or delirium signsMinimizing observer bias and improving interrater reliabilityLesson 4Principles of pain physiology and types of pain (nociceptive, neuropathic, inflammatory, nociplastic)Explores nociceptive, neuropathic, inflammatory, and nociplastic pain, linking receptor and pathway physiology to clinical patterns, exam findings, and treatment choices, to improve mechanism-based assessment and targeted therapy selection.
Peripheral nociceptor activation and sensitizationSpinal cord transmission and modulation of painNeuropathic pain mechanisms and clinical featuresInflammatory mediators and peripheral sensitizationCentral sensitization and nociplastic pain featuresLinking pain mechanism to treatment selectionLesson 5Assessing pain history and biopsychosocial factors: sleep, mood, catastrophizing, substance use, and social contextExamines how sleep, mood, trauma history, catastrophizing, substance use, and social context shape pain experience and reporting, and how to integrate biopsychosocial data into assessment, risk stratification, and care planning.
Structuring a comprehensive pain historyAssessing sleep disturbance and fatigueScreening for depression, anxiety, and PTSDIdentifying pain catastrophizing and fear avoidanceEvaluating substance use and coping behaviorsExploring family, work, and cultural contextLesson 6Frequency and timing of assessment: perioperative, post-analgesia reassessment, flare monitoring and documentation standardsDetails how often and when to assess pain in perioperative, inpatient, and outpatient settings, including post-analgesia reassessment, flare tracking, and documentation standards that support safety, quality metrics, and regulatory compliance.
Perioperative pain assessment time pointsPost-analgesia reassessment and response trackingMonitoring pain flares and breakthrough episodesDocumenting pain scores and functional outcomesMeeting institutional and regulatory requirementsLesson 7Assessing risk and safety: opioid risk tools (ORT), screening for substance use disorder, and assessing fall and bleeding riskFocuses on structured risk assessment before and during opioid therapy, including ORT use, substance use disorder screening, and evaluation of fall, sedation, and bleeding risk to guide monitoring, documentation, and shared decisions.
Using ORT and similar opioid risk toolsScreening for substance use and misuse patternsAssessing fall, sedation, and respiratory riskEvaluating bleeding risk with analgesic choicesMonitoring plans for high-risk pain patientsLesson 8Communication techniques for pain assessment: empathetic questioning, shared decision prompts, and handling denial or minimization of painDevelops communication skills for accurate pain assessment, including empathetic questioning, validating experiences, shared decision prompts, and strategies for addressing denial, minimization, or exaggeration while maintaining therapeutic alliance.
Building rapport and psychological safetyOpen-ended and focused pain questionsValidating pain while setting realistic goalsShared decision prompts in pain discussionsAddressing denial or minimization of painManaging perceived exaggeration without stigma
