Interprofessional Pain Management Competency Program
Competency development
See the pain management core competencies »
Pain is a complex health issue that has significant human and economic costs. There has been momentum to strengthen pain care across health professions; however, there is no agreement on the basic core competencies each clinician should possess to effectively manage pain. The Interprofessional Pain Management Competency Program sought to address this issue by identifying core competencies in pain management for prelicensure clinical education that can serve as a framework in the development of comprehensive and effective pain care management curricula.
The Interprofessional Pain Management Competency Program created core competencies for learners that change how health care professionals respond to and manage pain care. Under the joint leadership of Scott M. Fishman and Heather M. Young, the project began in fall 2011 with an examination of existing competencies and the state of pain content in curricula across multiple disciplines. After collaborating with 29 interprofessional leaders in August 2012, consensus-derived competencies were developed. Curricular modules and learning activities were also developed for dissemination with follow-up assessment of impact.
Supported through a grant from The MAYDAY Fund, this program has strengthened the interprofessional bond between the UC Davis School of Medicine and the Betty Irene Moore School of Nursing at UC Davis around pain control, interprofessional education and collaboration. The program lays the foundation for future efforts to expand pain management education for both students and clinical teams.
Research publication
A June 2013 article published by UC Davis faculty and pain medicine experts from around the globe in Pain Medicine, the official journal of the American Academy of Pain Medicine, describes the development of core competencies in pain management education for new health professionals.
Core competency adoption
To date, eight organizations have endorsed the Pain Management Core Competencies. These leading international and national professional groups include:
- American Academy of Pain Medicine
- Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education
- Council on Social Work Education
- International Association for the Study of Pain
- National Association of Social Workers
- American Council of Academic Physical Therapy
- American Society for Pain Management Nursing
