Assessing & Managing Pain

Supports face-to-face training to review results from research conducted by the NIDA CTN comparing detoxification with buprenorphine versus clonidine. Provides instruction for implementing this protocol in treatment settings, including methods of evaluation and induction, the taper schedule, and use of ancillary medications during treatment.

Introduces health professionals, students, and primary care residents to a standardized approach to the management of patients with chronic nonmalignant pain that integrates techniques for the prevention and detection of misuse of prescription opioids.

Provides recommendations that assist the practitioner and patient in making decisions about healthcare, specifically chronic pain management.

The PAMI Pain Management and Dosing Guide is a free tool for use by health care providers in hospital, EMS, or acute care settings. Content was developed after extensive literature review of pain, sedation, and analgesia medications for acute pain, chronic pain and procedural sedation in all ages. The guide was developed and reviewed by a multidisciplinary team of physicians, nurses, pain specialists, and pharmacists. Dosing ranges should be used as a general guide and adapted to specific patient characteristics such as age and comorbidities.

Provides a summary of recommendations on how to assess and manage chronic pain. Includes detailed tools, such as an assessment algorithm, management algorithm, personal care plan for chronic pain, and the DIRE Score, which predicts patient suitability for long-term opioid analgesic treatment.