The Program
Note: admission to this program suspended.

The Graduate Diploma in Pain Care program (GDipPainCare) is an eight month, part-time blended program. The objective of the program is to prepare practicing health care professionals with a comprehensive understanding of pain and the care of individuals with pain. This knowledge and skill will be achieved through a combination of online course work and clinical practice in the simulation laboratory.

The specific program objectives are to prepare graduates who will:

1. Have an advanced understanding of the pathophysiology of pain that will be applied to interprofessional care of individuals with pain;
2. Have a comprehensive understanding of the burden and impact of pain in Canada;
3. Employ and facilitate the use by colleagues of validated pain measurement strategies to assess pain;
4. Comprehensively assess pain by systematically examining biopsychosocial aspects of pain;
5. Aid individuals and families to understand and manage pain by integrating a biopsychosocial model into the treatment of pain;
6. Engage in program evaluation to monitor and improve pain care; and,
7. Assume leadership roles in their organizations to support best practices in pain care.

The GDipPainCare program consists of the following coursework (all courses except PAIN 874  are online courses):

• PAIN 870 Pathophysiology of Pain
• PAIN 871 Assessment and Treatment of Pain I
• PAIN 872 Assessment and Treatment of Pain II
• PAIN 873 Evaluating Pain Related Programs and Services
• PAIN 874  Integrated Approach to Pain Care (1-week on-site course)

All courses are 3.0 credit units.

In the Graduate Nursing Programs in the School of Nursing, any student who fails to obtain a minimum grade of B- (B minus) in two primary courses shall be required to withdraw.  For further details please see the School of Nursing’s Graduate Handbook.