N2NN3 Living with Chronic Pain Scenarios Learning Aims and Required Readings 2020-2021
N2NN3 Living with Chronic Pain Scenarios: Back Pain; Fibromyalgia; Juvenile Arthritis
Learning Aims & Required Readings
Nursing Concepts & Learning Aims:
Professional Nursing Care:
1. As a clinician, understand common sources and types of
pain (acute vs. chronic).
2. As a clinician, apply clinical reasoning in the care of a
patient with chronic pain.
 Identify patient populations experiencing chronic
pain
 Assess physical, social (relationship with family,
partner) and psychological symptoms of chronic
pain
 Discuss variations in the experience of pain across
the lifespan (neonate, child, adult, older adult)
3. As a clinician, identify management strategies to care for
a patient experiencing pain:
 Effective coping strategies to manage pain
 Appropriate use of pharmacological interventions
(NSAIDS, muscle relaxants, medical cannabis,
opioids, adjuvant therapy)
 Identify non-pharmacological interventions
(exercise, nutrition, relaxation, pacing rest/activity,
support, behavioural therapies, patient selected
complementary therapy)
Advocacy:
1. As a professional and advocate identify the patient with
chronic pain at risk for addiction to pain medication (age,
source of pain, history of known, opioid, substance,
and/or tobacco use, mental health, opioid use, family
history)
Diversity:
1. Explore cultural and social considerations of pain
perception and management.
Student Preparation:
Prior Learning:
 N1J02: Pain assessment (adult/child); RNAO BPG;
Therapeutic communication
 N2MM3: Post-operative pain management
 N2H03: Pain pathway, opiates, anti-inflammatory
agents
Required Readings:
Denenberg, R. & Curtiss, C. P. (2016). Appropriate
use of opioids in managing chronic
pain. American Journal of Nursing, 116, 26-
38. doi:10.1097/01.NAJ.0000484931.50778.
6f
Ko, G. D., Bober, S. L., Mindra, S., & Moreau, J. M.
(2016). Medical cannabis-the Canadian
perspective. Journal of pain research, 9, 735.
  
Polomano, R. & Filman, M., McGillion, M., O’Keefe-
McCarthy, S., & Ladak, S. S. (2019). Pain. In S.
L. Lewis, L. Bucher, M. M. Heitkemper, M. M
Harding, M. A. Barry, J. Lok, J. Tyerman, & S.
Goldsworthy (Eds), Medical-surgical nursing
in Canada: Assessment and management of
clinical problems (4th Canadian Ed.) (pp. 146-
164). Elsevier Canada.
 
Registered Nurses Association of Ontario.
(2013). Nursing best practice guideline:
Assessment and management of pain (3rd
ed.).
http://rnao.ca/bpg/guidelines/assessment-
and-management-pain 
 Summary of Recommendations pp. 7-10
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 N2NN3 Living with Chronic Pain Scenarios Learning Aims and Required Readings 2020-2021

Suggested Readings:  Background: What is Pain pp. 17-18

 Table 1. Selecting a Pain Assessment
Fitzcharles, M. A., Ste-Marie, P. A., Goldenberg, D. L., Pereira,
Tool pp. 23-25
J. X., Abbey, S., Choinière, M., Ko, G., Moulin, D. E.,
 Recommendation 1.3 and 1.4 pp. 25-29
Panopalis, P., Proulx, J., & Shir, Y. (2013). 2012
 Pain in Special Populations pp. 32
Canadian guidelines for the diagnosis and
 Prevention, assessment and
management of fibromyalgia syndrome in adults.
management of adverse effects during
Retrieved from http://fmguidelines.ca/
the administration of opioid analgesics
pp. 35-36
 Non-pharmacological interventions pp.
McMaster University National Pain Centre. (2011).
36-37
Guidelines for the evidence-informed primary care
 Pediatric Pain Assessment pp. 82-84
management of low back pain.
 Pediatric Pain Assessment Tools pp. 91-
http://nationalpaincentre.mcmaster.ca/documents/L
92
owerBackPainGuidelineNov2011.pdf
 Chronic low back pain summary (pp. 14-19) 

Stinson, J. N., Luca, N. J. C., & Jibb, L. A. (2012). Assessment

and management of pain in juvenile idiopathic
arthritis. Pain Research and Management, 17, 391-
396. http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2012/237258

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