Assessing & Addressing Pain

Research into pain in both the human and veterinary medical fields has caused a shift in focus to how we are treating pain in our veterinary patients. From identifying that our neonatal patients do, in fact, feel pain to the discovery that pain can actually inhibit healing, changes have been made to how pain is approached. Veterinary technicians play a major role in this approach as they are the ones who are observing and working with patients the most. Understanding how to identify pain is the first important step in helping our patients remain pain free. 

Here's what you'll learn:

  • Understand the different types of pain

  • Be able to utilize pain scales to assess pain

  • Text length of individual points can be shorter or longer depending on your needs

Course curriculum

    1. Assessing & Addressing Pain

    2. QUIZ: Assessing & Addressing Pain (Required for RACE CE)

About this course

  • Free
  • 2 lessons
  • 1 hour of video content

Instructor

M.Ed.,CVT,VTS (ECC) Erin Spencer

Erin has been working in the veterinary field for over 20 years. Early on she found a passion for emergency medicine and went on to earn her VTS (Veterinary Technician Specialty) in Emergency and Critical Care in 2011. Her next passion became education and she earned her Master’s in Adult Education in 2015. Her career has brought a variety of opportunities and roles from management, to teaching in a veterinary technology program, to running field clinics in under-served communities on Native American reservations. In 2019, Erin started her own business which provides in clinic training on a variety of topics and consultation on team utilization. As of 2021, Erin joined Veterinary Emergency Group as their Director of Veterinary Nursing Development. Erin is highly involved in the Veterinary Technology community. She is a Past President of both the Massachusetts Veterinary Technician Association and NAVTA. She is the Treasurer for PrideVMC and President-Elect for the Academy of Veterinary Emergency and Critical Care Technicians and Nurses. Erin lectures nationally and has published articles and a book chapter.