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The Clinical Pain Management (CPM) Program

Award 4. Safe & Effective Use of Medication

Award Content

CPM14. Medications In The Management Of The Person Experiencing Pain 2 Sections
Module Content
0% Complete 0/2 Steps
CPM15. Opioids In The Management Of The Person Experiencing Pain 2 Sections
Module Content
0% Complete 0/2 Steps
AWARD 4: Safe and effective use of medication for pain. As most people in pain are likely to use medication for their pain, this award provides prescribers and non-prescribers guidance on ways in which pharmacological and self-management strategies can be used in an integrated way to safely achieve optimal and safe outcomes.

Award 4

Safe And Effective Use Of Medication

Enhance your knowledge and skills in recognising, assessing, and treating individuals experiencing pain, in these 5 easy-to-use modules

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  • Duration: 3 CPD Hours
  • Certificate: Certificate of Completion
  • Cost: AUD $280 (includes all 4 awards)

By the end of AWARD 4, you will be able to:

  1. Discuss the roles of pain medication and pain self-management strategies to a person seeking advice on their pain management options.
  2. Evaluate how the use of pain medication may be helping or hindering a person’s attempts to achieve their desired functional goals.
  3. Explain to a person taking medication for their pain ways in which they can achieve their functional goals more effectively by combining medication and active self-management strategies.
  4. Summarise the common concerns people may have about using opioids with cancer-related pain and non-cancer chronic pain.
  5. Outline a stepped approach to reducing a person’s use of opioids for chronic non-cancer pain.

CPM 14: Medication in the management of the person experiencing acute and chronic pain

By the end of this module, you will be able to:

  1. Discuss the use of different medications in the management of acute nociceptive pain.
  2. Summarise the risks of reliance on medications alone in the management of chronic pain.
  3. Contrast the role of medication versus self-management in the management of acute and chronic pain.
  4. Explain how pain medications may be used alongside non-pharmacological, self-management strategies to optimise function and well-being in a person in chronic pain.
  5. Evaluate the effectiveness of medications used in neuropathic pain.

 

CPM 15: Opioids in the management of the person experiencing pain

On completion of this module, you will be able to:

  1. Summarise the main mechanisms thought to explain how opioids work.
  2. Outline the evidence regarding the use of opioids in the management of chronic pain
  3. Explain the main issues when asked about the use of opioids in chronic non-cancer pain versus cancer-related pain.
  4. Construct a combined self-management and medication treatment plan with a person in pain who has been taking opioids for some time and is reluctant to stop them.
  5. Describe the Opioid Six Step Guide to a person in pain who has become reliant on opioids to manage their pain but wants to explore other options.

“OPEN is such a great learning resource. As a titled Pain Physio - I highly recommend it to health professionals.”

Anjelo Ratnachandra, titled pain physio, Beyond Pain

“As pharmacists, we often think we only need to focus on medications for pain management. However, through this program, we learned that some pain is better managed by asking more questions and offering tailored care around biopsychosocial needs. It’s a very good introduction to pain management, and I’d recommend it to all healthcare providers looking to expand their knowledge and capacity to support patients living with pain.”

Dr Athirah Bakhtiar, Pharmacist

“Our partnership with OPEN makes practical, high-quality pain education more accessible — helping our members turn knowledge into skills they can use in everyday practice.”

Bernadette Smith, president Australian Pain Society & OPEN partner

"OPEN's Clinical Pain Training Program offers a flexible, evidence-based pathway for clinicians to strengthen their pain care skills. I encourage Fellows to explore the program and share it with their teams."

Dr Roger Goucke, AM FPM, Specialist Pain Medicine Physician

"OPEN is thorough and engaging. It provides practical insights our team can apply directly."

Melanie Ianssen, Head of Workplace Recovery & Health, MyRecovery & Health

“I have completed the first award and the content is information, engaging and easy to navigate. I would highly recommend this course.”

Georgina Gibson, Registered Nurse

“I’ve completed award 1 of OPEN and it’s brilliant, I will be recommending it to health practitioners I work with.”

Dr Adele Stewart, Chair RACGP Pain Management Special Interest Group (SIG)

“OPEN provides the skills and the knowledge in a very practical way which makes it easy for you to get a hold of as a clinician, whatever type of clinician you are.”

Catherine Ketsimur, APA Titled Physiotherapist

“Medications can sometimes be helpful but often they are very disappointing. This course is designed to give skills for the practitioners to guide their patients.”

DR REBECCA MARTIN, SPECIALIST PAIN MEDICINE PHYSICIAN, HEAD OF DEPARTMENT

“I feel like I’m in the drivers seat rather than relying on taking some medication every day.”

Maya, Managing Fibromyalgia & Inflammatory Arthritis with OPEN

“OPEN has taught me there are other methods so I’m not sitting in my own head and thoughts.”

Kyria, Managing Complex Regional Pain Syndrome with OPEN

“OPEN education will make you more confident at supporting your patients with resources and strategies for managing their pain”

Bernadette Findlay, Clinical Nurse Consultant & Vice Chairperson of Pain Nurses Australia

“OPEN provides an approach for chronic pain to be effectively managed by all healthcare practitioners.”

Dr Rebecca Martin, Specialist Pain Medicine Physician, Head of Department

“When I was given the tools to manage my pain, it was like a dream come true.”

Joe, Managing Chronic Back Pain with OPEN

“Using the techniques that I was taught through the OPEN Program, I can engage more with life now.”

Maya, Managing Fibromyalgia & Inflammatory Arthritis with OPEN

“The OPEN Program didn’t just change my life, it saved my life.”

Tom, Managing Chronic Back Pain with OPEN

“OPEN provides the access, 
the knowledge, and the validation, partnered with people with lived experience to beat this race against pain.”

Joyce McSwan, Painwise Founder & Former President APS

“The OPEN program is a unique way 
for healthcare providers to up-skill in 
their ability to deliver pain management 
to their patients.”

Prof. Damien Finniss, Director of Acute Pain Services

Fully online. Interdisciplinary. CPD Accredited.

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BECOME CERTIFIED IN CLINICAL PAIN MANAGEMENT
BY COMPLETING ALL 4 AWARDS

Award 1

Essential Pain Management

5 CPD HOURS

Enhance your knowledge and skills in recognising, assessing, and treating individuals experiencing pain, in these 5 easy-to-use modules.
Learn More
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Award 2

Preparing For Pain Self-Management

6 CPD HOURS

Focus is on equipping you with the skills to guide patients through the crucial steps toward personalising their plan and managing their own pain.
Learn More
ENROL NOW

Award 3

Core Pain Self-Management Skills

6 CPD HOURS

Learning clinical skills in goal setting, activity pacing, exercise, applied relaxation, and effective problem-management are key components for guiding people to self-manage their pain.
Learn More
ENROL NOW

Award 1

Essential Pain Management

5 CPD HOURS

Enhance your knowledge and skills in recognising, assessing, and treating individuals experiencing pain, in these 5 easy-to-use modules.
Learn More
ENROL NOW

Award 2

Preparing For Pain Self-Management

6 CPD HOURS

Focus is on equipping you with the skills to guide patients through the crucial steps toward personalising their plan and managing their own pain.
Learn More
ENROL NOW

Award 3

Core Pain Self-Management Skills

6 CPD HOURS

Learning clinical skills in goal setting, activity pacing, exercise, applied relaxation, and effective problem-management are key components for guiding people to self-manage their pain.
Learn More
ENROL NOW

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