Postgraduate Course: Pain Management in the Ageing Population (PAMA11059)
Course Outline
| School | Deanery of Clinical Sciences |
College | College of Medicine and Veterinary Medicine |
| Credit level (Normal year taken) | SCQF Level 11 (Postgraduate) |
| Course type | Online Distance Learning |
Availability | Not available to visiting students |
| SCQF Credits | 20 |
ECTS Credits | 10 |
| Summary | This course will examine the complexities of pain management in an ageing population, focusing on the growing challenges faced by medical professionals as patients experience pain not necessarily linked to life-limiting conditions. The course examines the interplay between ageing, frailty, co-morbidities and surgical interventions. Emphasising the importance of patient tailored pain management. |
| Course description |
Academic Description:
Population demographics demonstrate a constantly changing focus in the management of pain. Most particularly, in many countries, there is an increasing number and proportion of older patients presenting with painful conditions which do not necessarily form part of any other life limiting condition. Coupled to this is the recognition that the line between previously distinct areas of pain management; that of 'Acute' and 'Chronic', pain are constantly being blurred, made more indistinct as people live longer.
Rather inevitably, this may incorporate a number of other subsections of pain management as old age doesn't come alone. For example, as life expectancy increases, the extent to which many surgical procedures are contemplated and undertaken is multiplied, with the consequent necessity to develop the means to manage pain sensitively in conjunction with advanced frailty and co-morbidity.
Student Learning Experience: This is a 10-week distance learning course worth 20 credits. You are expected to spend 20 hours per week on this course. You will be given a brief overview of the course and will then be provided with relevant materials and resources. Specific tasks and online exercises relating to each weeks topic will be set. You will be asked to submit summative assessments during the courses.
|
Course Delivery Information
|
| Academic year 2025/26, Not available to visiting students (SS1)
|
Quota: None |
| Course Start |
MVM Online Learning Block 3 |
| Course Start Date |
06/04/2026 |
Timetable |
Timetable |
| Learning and Teaching activities (Further Info) |
Total Hours:
200
(
Lecture Hours 8,
Seminar/Tutorial Hours 2,
Online Activities 30,
Feedback/Feedforward Hours 6,
Formative Assessment Hours 10,
Summative Assessment Hours 60,
Revision Session Hours 4,
Other Study Hours 76,
Programme Level Learning and Teaching Hours 4,
Directed Learning and Independent Learning Hours
0 )
|
| Additional Information (Learning and Teaching) |
0
|
| Assessment (Further Info) |
Written Exam
0 %,
Coursework
100 %,
Practical Exam
0 %
|
| Additional Information (Assessment) |
Assessment and Feedback in this course is covered by the University of Edinburgh Assessment and Feedback Principles and Priorities. These can be found at this link https://edwebcontent.ed.ac.uk/sites/default/files/atoms/files/assessmentfeedbackprinciplespriorities.pdf .
The key principles that underpin assessment activities are evidence-based practice and the application of theory to clinical practice.
Assessment will consist of the following:
Assignment 1: Discussion Board Activities 10%
Assignment 2: Written Essay (x1) 40%
Assignment 3: Presentation 50%
If you fail to make a reasonable attempt at any of the assessments in the course, you risk a failing grade for the course, which may have repercussions in your ability to achieve a final award in the programme.
|
| Feedback |
Assessment and Feedback in this course is covered by the University of Edinburgh Assessment and Feedback Principles and Priorities. These can be found at this link https://edwebcontent.ed.ac.uk/sites/default/files/atoms/files/assessmentfeedbackprinciplespriorities.pdf .
Throughout your studies, you will receive regular feedback on your work. This helps to maximise the effectiveness of learning and teaching and enhances your performance. Feedback can be any comment from another person that may result in improving your learning and understanding. It is important to remember that feedback is not always in written form on a marked piece of work. Whilst feedback can take this form, most of the feedback you will receive during your university career may not associated with a mark.
Feedback is provided on all items of in-course assessment, both summative and formative. Formative feedback may take the form of group feedback where only salient points for the whole group are provided.
When marked work is returned to you, it is your responsibility to read and think about the feedback given and not just look at the mark. The feedback gives you an indication of what you did well, what you misunderstood and what you did not address correctly. If you have any questions, please contact the named Course Organiser. |
| No Exam Information |
Learning Outcomes
On completion of this course, the student will be able to:
- Identify appropriate pain assessment methodologies for pain in older people
- Recognise and interpret the impact of comorbidities on the pain of older people
- Adapt and tailor the management of individual patients based upon comorbid and associated conditions
- Explain, discuss and defend the physical changes that occur with nociception with increasing age
- Interpret and deconstruct issues around the management of pain conditions that affect older people and implement changes to management plans in response
|
Reading List
A list of Learning Resources will be provided to ensure access to appropriate and relevant resources to enable full participation in this course.
Details about the Learning Resource Lists can be found at https://www.ed.ac.uk/information-services/research-teaching-staff/resource-lists/information-for-students .
Below is a selection of some of the resources that you will be expected to engage with during the course. This is an indicative list and may be amended in light of more recent and relevant resources becoming available.
Anon (1320) Living longer: how our population is changing and why it matters. Office for National Statistics. https://www.ons.gov.uk/releases/livinglongerhowourpopulationischangingandwhyitmatters.
Booker, S.Q. & Herr, K.A. (2016) Assessment and Measurement of Pain in Adults in Later Life. Clinics in geriatric medicine. 32 (4), 677-692. doi:10.1016/j.cger.2016.06.012.
Christo, P.J., Li, S., Gibson, S.J., Fine, P. & Hameed, H. (2011) Effective Treatments for Pain in the Older Patient. Current pain and headache reports. 15 (1), 2234. doi:10.1007/s11916-010-0164-0.
Collis, D. & Waterfield, J. (2015) The Understanding of Pain by Older Adults Who Consider Themselves to Have Aged Successfully. Musculoskeletal care. 13 (1), 19-30. doi:10.1002/msc.1083.
Dagnino, A.P.A. & Campos, M.M. (2022) Chronic Pain in the Elderly: Mechanisms and Perspectives. Frontiers in human neuroscience. 16, 736688-736688. doi:10.3389/fnhum.2022.736688.
Divo, M.J., Martinez, C.H. & Mannino, D.M. (2014) Ageing and the epidemiology of multimorbidity. The European respiratory journal. 44 (4), 10551068. doi:10.1183/09031936.00059814.
Gokula, M. & Holmes, H.M. (2012) Tools to Reduce Polypharmacy. Clinics in geriatric medicine. 28 (2), 323-341. doi:10.1016/j.cger.2012.01.011.
Kim, Y.-S., Park, J.-M., Moon, Y.-S. & Han, S.-H. (2017) Assessment of pain in the elderly: A literature review. The National medical journal of India. 30 (4), 203¿207. doi:10.4103/0970-258X.218673.
Lane, P. & Smith, D. (2018) Culture, ageing and the construction of pain. Geriatrics (Basel). 3 (3), 40. doi:10.3390/geriatrics3030040.
Levy, N., Selwyn, D.A. & Lobo, D.N. (2021) Turning waiting lists for elective surgery into preparation lists. British journal of anesthesia: BJA. 126 (1), 15. doi:10.1016/j.bja.2020.08.021.
|
Additional Information
| Graduate Attributes and Skills |
During this course students will have to develop the ability to work independently as well as interact with fellow students. Students will develop skills in reflective practice as they draw on their own knowledge and experience, and that of other students, to complete their assignments. Their knowledge and understanding of the topic will improve, but students will also learn generic approaches and skills such as critical analysis and complex reasoning. Students will be expected to develop skills in literature searching, information synthesis and drawing reasoned conclusions from resources and information provided throughout the course. During assignment completion, skills such as presentation, academic writing and accurate referencing should be developed. As the course is presented by online learning, it aims to contribute to students¿ IT, writing and communication skills which can be applied to both clinical and academic environments. |
| Keywords | Not entered |
Contacts
| Course organiser | Dr Sarah Henderson
Tel: 0131 242 6130
Email: Sarah.Henderson@ed.ac.uk |
Course secretary | Ms Ewelina Skala
Tel: (0131 5)37 1000
Email: eskala2@exseed.ed.ac.uk |
|
|
University Homepage