Universitat Internacional de Catalunya
Advanced Care for Pain Management
Other languages of instruction: Catalan, English
Teaching staff
Introduction
In this course, the clinical approach to the pain patient, with special emphasis on the oncological patient, is dealt with in a comprehensive and profound manner.
Pre-course requirements
It is advisable to have taken the core subjects of the Master's program.
Objectives
● To provide students with the necessary knowledge to develop skills and attitudes to manage pain in an excellent way through a multidimensional approach.
● To expose and indicate the main interventional techniques in the control of pain and its complications as well as the main physical symptoms by applying pharmacological and non-pharmacological treatments.
Competences/Learning outcomes of the degree programme
- CN01 - Acquire advanced and specific knowledge in symptom control (physical and emotional) and in communication and patient and family care.
- HB03 - Integrate multidimensional care to the problems of patients in advanced illness.
- HB04 - Analyse complex problems in the care area with a multidimensional vision in order to solve them in a tactical and strategic manner.
Learning outcomes of the subject
At the end of the subject, students will be able to:
4.1 Identify the indications and contraindications of the techniques and tools necessary for the management of the most prevalent symptoms and for the prevention and treatment of crisis situations in palliative care with a holistic view of the needs of the patient and her family.
4.2 Incorporate advanced knowledge about pathophysiology, neuroanatomy, evaluation and design of a comprehensive therapeutic plan for the treatment of cancer pain.
4.3 Demonstrate the ability to develop a therapeutic plan with the objective of treating complex pain situations incorporating a multidimensional vision in its approach.
Syllabus
- Pathophysiology and classification of pain
- Pain treatment I: 1st and 2nd step analgesics
- Pain treatment II: strong opioids
- Pain treatment III: coanalgesics
- IV pain treatment: interventional techniques.
- Complex pain situations (breakthrough cancer pain, addiction, neuropathic pain)
Teaching and learning activities
Online
Asynchronous master classes:
- Delivery of written evidence in the form of reports; reflective or analytical works: Through these tests, the students' ability to understand the main ideas of the content taught, their ability to understand bibliography and specific literature and the content taught on specific concepts of the different subjects are evaluated.
- Delivery of case resolution (written or through video) where the student will explain how to resolve the case. It evaluates the student's ability to apply the theoretical content learned to a real or simulated situation in the exercise of the clinical profession.
- Performing exercises.
- Analysis of texts, carrying out tests, carrying out questionnaires.
- Participation in discussion forums and wikis: the degree of active participation of students in their own learning is evaluated.
Synchronous activities:
- In the case of students from different time zones, the time will be agreed in advance so that they can adapt. In any case, no student will be prevented from participating beyond 10 p.m. in their time zone.
Evaluation systems and criteria
Online
This master's degree bases its evaluation on continuous evaluation.
Continuous evaluation activities: participation in individual and group tutorials of at least 50% (minimum) will be required to guarantee synchronous participation with teachers with asynchronous activities.
They will be evaluated through continuous evaluation with both asynchronous (70%) and synchronous (30%) activities.
Bibliography and resources
- Manual de Control de Síntomas en Pacientes con Cáncer. 4a edición. Editores: Joaquim Julià-Torras y Gala Serrano Bermúdez. Ediciones Aran. 2019.
- Oxford Textbook of Palliative Medicine. 5th edition. Editors: Nathan Cherny, Marie Fallon, Stein Kaasa, Russell K. Portenoy, David C. Currow. 2015.
- ASCO guidelines. https://society.asco.org/practice-patients/guideline
- ESMO guidelines. https://www.esmo.org/guidelines