We’ve all encountered patients for whom taking a blood pressure or applying a tourniquet is excruciatingly painful. Pain sensitivity may explain these atypical responses. Pain sensitivity can be described as an individual’s underlying predisposition to pain and is highly variable between individuals, playing a significant role in the intensity and duration of pain and opioid use after surgery. Although validated methods of painsensitivity testing (or quantitative sensory testing [QST]) have existed for decades, they are only recently being employed in perioperative settings. In this session, the current evidence on pain sensitivity research in surgical populations will be presented, and participants will learn about various techniques to measure pain sensitivity. This session is recommended for CRNAs and SRNAs interested in advancing knowledge about pain phenotypes and how they may influence treatment response, and for CRNAs in acute or chronic pain management, where the inclusion of full pain sensitivity profiling can be incorporated into current practice to allow tailoring of treatment for individualized pain management.

1. Describe pain sensitivity and discuss the impact it has on anesthesia and surgical outcomes.
2. List techniques used to measure pain sensitivity.
3. Describe how pain sensitivity measures may be used to improve anesthesia practice.

This program has been prior approved by the American Association of Nurse Anesthesiology for 1.0 Class A CE credits; Code Number 1044799; Expiration Date 2/20/2025. AANA designates this program as meeting the criteria for up to 0.5 CE Credits in pharmacology/therapeutics. 

• Lori M. Schirle, PhD, CRNA, FAAN (she/her/hers)
• Nonye Nwokedi, CRNA

Accreditation Information:
The American Association of Nurse Anesthesiology is accredited as a provider of continuing nursing education by the American Nurses Credentialing Center's Commission on Accreditation. 

AANA is an approved provider by the California Board of Registered Nursing, CEP #10862.

Disclosure Statement:
Any relevant relationship between an ineligible company and an individual with the ability to influence clinical content will be identified by the Nurse Planner within the activity. Any relevant relationship between an ineligible company and an individual with the ability to influence clinical content has been mitigated.

Post-Test Attempt Notice:
A minimum passing score of 80% is required to pass this course. You have TWO opportunities to achieve a passing score. If you fail to achieve a passing score of 80%, you will not receive CE credit for this course.

Content Disclaimer:
The views, information, or opinions expressed within the videos and audio are solely those of the individuals involved and do not necessarily represent those of the American Association of Nurse Anesthesiology.

Course content has been prepared by the presenter/developer, and each viewer agrees that the presenter/developer is solely responsible for the content and the accuracy thereof. The viewer agrees that the American Association of Nurse Anesthesiology has no responsibility or liability for the accuracy or completeness of the content.

Refund Policy:
Continuing education activities are nonrefundable.