This practical introductory text provides an accessible guide to pain and how it affects patients and care giving. It considers:

• Different pain types including acute, chronic and palliative
• Assessing pain
• Treatment and pharmacology of pain control
• Challenging situations and dilemmas
• Communicating with patients in pain
• Ethical and legal aspects of treating pain

The book also considers the experience of pain from the patients’ perspective, to help healthcare students better understand the needs of patients who are in pain and how they can improve the care they give.

Case studies, tools for decision making, insights on patient experiences and reflective exercises provide opportunities for you to reflect upon your own practice and to develop problem-solving and critical thinking skills.

Principles and Practice of Managing Pain is ideal for students preparing to practice in a health care environment.

Contributor: Maria Parry, Senior Lecturer Palliative Care, University of Glamorgan, UK