Symptom and Pain Management in Palliative Care (5cr)

Objective

As a student, you will:
- be able to plan, implement, and evaluate the management of symptoms and pain in patients receiving palliative care, taking into account individual needs when guiding the patient and their loved ones
- understand the concept of total suffering and be able to apply this knowledge in clinical practice
- be able to select and utilize appropriate symptom assessment tools and scales in patient care
- understand the principles of safe and effective pharmacological and non-pharmacological treatment in palliative care
- be able to work as part of a multidisciplinary team to alleviate the patient’s symptoms
- understand the process of dying and be able to apply your knowledge in the care of the patient and after death, considering the needs of the patient’s family and loved ones

Content

This course provides comprehensive knowledge of common symptoms experienced by palliative care patients and their management. You will learn to assess symptoms and the need for treatment from a holistic perspective.

Detailed content:
- The most common symptoms in palliative care, their pathophysiology, and both pharmacological and non-pharmacological management
(e.g. pain, dyspnea, gastrointestinal symptoms, ascites, psychological symptoms, fatigue, cachexia, skin symptoms)
- Symptom assessment tools and pain scales
- Multidisciplinary teamwork in palliative care
- Principles of palliative sedation
- The process of dying and post-mortem care