Course 1: Comprehensive Pain Assessment
What You’ll Learn
- Describe the importance of safe and effective management of pain in people with serious illness
- Identify the elements of a comprehensive pain assessment
- Recognize specific pain types and patterns that guide safe and effective treatment
What You’ll Earn
Only CAPC members who are logged in can earn the following free Continuing Education Credits:
- 0.75 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit(s)™
- Nursing: 1.00 CNE
- Social Work: 2.00 CE (NYSED)
- Social Work: 1.00 CE (NASW)
To take this course, log in. Or, check here to see if your organization is a member.
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Tools & Resources
Recommended assessment questions to typify pain and inform pain management for patients with serious illness.
Case example used to illustrate pain assessment concepts.
Course citations. Center to Advance Palliative Care, 2015.
Key terms related to pain and pain management. Center to Advance Palliative Care, 2015.
When to use - and when to avoid - 6 classes of analgesics including acetaminophen, NSAIDs, opioids, antiepileptics, antidepressants, and corticosteroids.
The CSA is the federal U.S. drug policy under which the manufacture, importation, possession, use and distribution of certain substances is regulated.
Illustrated pain scale for patients with cognitive impairment and children.
A list of comprehensive pain assessment pointers for care managers.
Course Directors
Course Faculty
Constance Dahlin, MSN, ANP-BC, ACHPN, FPCN, FAAN. Consultant, Center to Advance Palliative Care.
Jaime Goldberg, MSW, LCSW, ACHP-SW. PhD student, University of Wisconsin-Madison School of Social Work.
Philip Higgins, PhD, LICSW. President, Lighthouse Counseling of Salem, Inc.
Lynn Hill Spragens, MBA. Partner, Spragens & Gualtieri-Reed.
Jay R. Horton, PhD, ACHPN, FNP-BC, MPH, CENP. Director of Nursing Safety, Quality, and Performance Improvement Mount Sinai Hospital. Assistant Professor Department of Geriatrics and Palliative Medicine Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai.
Khadidjatou Kane, MD. Oncology Hospitalist, Assistant Professor of Hospital Medicine, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine.
Lolita Melhado, MSN, ARNP, FNP-BC. Family Nurse Practitioner/Palliative Care, Gulf Coast Medical Center - Lee Memorial Health System.
Bridget Montana, MSN, APRN, FPCN, MBA. Hope HealthCare Services, Chief Operating Officer.
Colleen Mulkerin, MSW, LCSW. Director Palliative Care Consult Service, Hartford Hospital.
Drew Rosielle, MD, FAAHPM. Palliative Care, Fairview Health Services, University of Minnesota Medical School.
David Weissman, MD. President, Palliative Care Education, LLC.
Peer Reviewers
Sherika S. Newman, DO. Hospice & Palliative Medicine, Family Medicine Piedmont Healthcare.*
Karl Bezak, MD. Clinical Assistant Professor of Medicine, Palliative Care and Medical Ethics, University of Pittsburg (UPMC).*
Sivan Ben-Moshe, MD. Fellow, Geriatrics and Palliative Medicine, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai.
Sachin Kale, MD. Fellow, Geriatrics and Palliative Medicine, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai.
Katie Wang, MD. Fellow, Geriatrics and Palliative Medicine, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai.
*indicates ABIM Peer Reviewer
Contact information: For answers to frequently asked questions about CAPC courses, read the Online Course FAQ. For technical questions about course activity, email [email protected]. For questions about continuing education credits, contact 201-957-0077.

Provided by the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai.