A new interprofessional graduate elective course, titled “Ethics of Pain Management in Vulnerable Populations,” cross-listed as NURS 426/BETH 426, will be available this fall and is designed to appeal to a variety of professional students.
Esther Bernhoff, PhD, RN, an associate professor with appointments in nursing and bioethics, will teach the class, exploring the multidimensional qualities of the human experience of pain, including its moral dimensions.
Course topics include:
- Vulnerable populations across the lifespan who may be most subject to compromised pain care (e.g., marginalized populations, those with substance use disorder, chronic pain, mental health comorbidities, cognitive disabilities, physical disabilities and others);
- Historic and current views of the moral obligation of healthcare providers to treat people with pain; and
- Select codes of ethics and pain management policies, as well as ethical theories and how they can provide frameworks for determining how ethical, empathetic, effective and safe pain care can be achieved in the most vulnerable populations.
This course is hybrid and will meet four times in person on Friday mornings throughout the semester with asynchronous work in between in-person meetings.
The course is available in SIS for registration. Graduate standing is the only prerequisite.
Contact Bernhofer (eib3@case.edu) with any questions.