Advanced Pediatric Pain and Symptom Assessment and Management

This 8.5 CE hour, self-paced online course delivers robust clinical skills aimed at effectively assessing and managing physical pain and understanding psychosocial factors that can impact physical suffering in seriously ill or terminally ill infants, children, teens and young adults.

Many of the principles that apply to complex pain and symptom management in adults also apply to pediatric patients, but there are important differences that clinicians must be aware of when assessing and treating infants, children, teens, or young adults with serious or life-limiting illness.

This in-depth course explores factors such as chronological age, developmental stage, weight, diagnosis, and comorbidities that must be considered when selecting appropriate pain-management medications and adjusting pediatric dosing, as well as the emotional, social, and spiritual factors that are influenced by the patient’s age and family belief systems.

This course comprises seven modules covering topics related to managing complex pain in infants, children, teens, and young adults, including psychosocial and spiritual distress that can exacerbate pain, and the use of proportionate palliative sedation to address certain refractory symptoms.

Enroll in the certificate for $989. Learn more.

What You’ll Learn

• Advanced pain management principles
• Caring for the child who is medically complex
• Caring for an infant to ensure optimal care
• Assessing and treating pain and other symptoms in neurologically complex patients
• Recognizing and responding to psychosocial and spiritual distress that exacerbates physical symptoms
• Trauma-informed pain and symptom management
• Key principles of providing proportionate sedation for refractory symptoms

What You’ll Earn

8.5 continuing education (CE) credits provided through California State University San Marcos, accredited and approved by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC).

Strategic Partners

The Institute’s Pediatric Palliative Care curriculum was developed by expert clinicians in pediatric palliative care from leading children’s hospitals and hospice programs, with support from:

• Children’s Hospice and Palliative Care Coalition/Coalition for Compassionate Care of California
• Providence TrinityCare Hospice and Trinity KidsCare

Course Authors

Kimberly Bower, MD, FAAHPM, HMDC, former Chief of Palliative Medicine at Rady Children’s Hospital in San Diego and current Medical Director of Blue Shield of California Promise Plan.

Susan Montgomery, RN, BSN, MA, a medical writer whose clinical career as a registered nurse included caring for children and adults in both critical care and hospice. She is the former Director of Interdisciplinary Practice at Suncoast Hospice.

Completion and Refunds

In order to complete this course and obtain a certificate, you must view the course in its entirety, correctly answer all case studies and quiz/test questions (as appropriate) and complete the evaluation. You will have 90 days to access this course from the date of purchase. No refunds are given for self-paced courses.