Essential Pain Management: Using a Palliative Approach (EPM)

Online Course

Thinking about taking  EPM?

Note: Due to continuous changes in hospice and palliative care, we recommend re-taking EPM every five years.

This program includes up-to-date, best practice and evidence-informed palliative care knowledge, utilizing the innovative Partnering for Palliative Education learning environment, powered by D2L Brightspace. We are able to offer affordable, quality, and high-value palliative care courses for health care providers, in Waterloo Wellington, due to government subsidies received by our program.

Course Details

During EPM, local palliative nurse consultants work with EPM learners to provide foundational knowledge and skills in pain assessment, management and evaluation from a palliative care approach. The focus of the course is on the pharmacological management of pain which can then be applied to practice.

Click on the “+” signs below to reveal more course details.

The focus of this online course is the Pharmacological Management of Pain. Pain assessment, management, and evaluation are foundational skills for nurses working in any practice setting. The EPM course aims to equip nurses with a foundational knowledge base and skills around pain management, from a palliative care approach, that may be applied to practice. The four foundational modules to be covered include:

  • Module 1: Laying the Foundation
  • Module 2: Understanding Pain
  • Module 3: Assessment
  • Module 4: Approaches to Pain Management
  • EPM has been designed to benefit and appeal to all classes of nurses who care for adults living with life-threatening or life-limiting illnesses.

    EPM allows learners to set their own learning pace as they enhance foundational knowledge, interact with evidence-informed tools and resources to complete case-based activities, and engage in one or more coaching sessions designed to be responsive to individual pain-related learning needs.

    Essential Pain Management (EPM) - Online Course

    This course is provided using D2L’s Brightspace Learning Environment.  Learners will be required to use a computer, tablet, or smart phone with a microphone & camera to allow for two-way communication between coaches and peers. For more EPM course details, please review: Local palliative nurse consultants work with EPM learners to provide foundational knowledge and skills in pain assessment, management and evaluation from a palliative care approach. The focus of the course is on the pharmacological management of pain which can then be applied to practice.

    The EPM course is broken down into the following components:

    Level 1 - Essential Pain Management (EPM) Curriculum (Total Hours: 18)

    • Getting Started Module
    • Foundational Modules:
      • 1: Laying the Foundation
      • 2: Understanding Pain
      • 3: Assessment
      • 4: Approaches to Pain Management
    • EPM Coaching Session (90 minutes) to target learner-specific needs
    • Multiple Case-based, Interactive Activities to practice tools and approaches
    • Multiple Self-Checks to help test learner understanding
    To receive an EPM certificate, learners must complete:
    • EPM Modules and Quizzes
    • EPM Coaching Session with case-based activities to practice their skills
    Following completion of EPM – Level 1, learners will have automatic access to the online AMP Preparation Module to explore advanced pain management.

    Level 2 - Advanced Approaches to Manage Pain (AMP) Curriculum (Total Hours: 5)
     
    • AMP Preparation Module - The AMP module provides a more in-depth look at equianalgesia and explores additional information on the application of pain management principles to specific skills and pain scenarios including:
      • Titration of Breakthrough Doses (BTD)
      • Opioid Rotation
      • Pain from Bony Metastases
      • Incident Pain Management
      • Intractable Pain
      • Interventional Approaches
    Following successful completion of the AMP Preparation module, and the AMP module quiz, learners will earn their AMP Preparation badge. At that time, learners will be invited to register for the AMP coaching session.
    • AMP Coaching Session (3 hours) with case-based activities for skills practice
      To receive an AMP certificate, learners must complete:
      • AMP preparation module and quiz
      • AMP coaching session (3 hrs) with case-based activities to practice their skills
      Cost: $40.00

      The course fee:

      • includes EPM and the additional AMP Module Preparation
      • is non-refundable and non-transferrable
      • Full Participation is mandatory to receive a certificate.
      • Course/Class Cancellations/Changes - Learn more>
      • Course IPAQ Requirements - Learn more>

      Course Availability & Registration Information

      Printable Flyers

      Pre-requisite: Learners must be NPs, RNs or RPNs

      Note: We recommend learners allow six weeks to complete required course components


      On Feb 17th, learners will be contacted by Brightspace with login details for the learning platform. 

      EPM Course
      Winter 2024
      Important EPM Dates
      Course Enrollment Feb 17 – May 5, 2025
      Sign Up Now
      Coaching Session Dates Begin on Mar 17 – Once logged into the EPM course, learners will be able to see available dates in the course calendar.
      Course Work Must be Completed  Jun 30, 2025

      The next EPM course is coming in Fall 2025