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Unit of study_

PAIN5014: Cancer Pain

Semester 2, 2022 [Online] - Camperdown/Darlington, Sydney

This unit addresses the biopsychosocial assessment and management of pain associated with cancer. Recent advances in pain relief techniques including delivery systems for patient control of pain are reviewed, together with appropriate assessment and treatment approaches for psychological factors such as depression, grief and stress.

Unit details and rules

Unit code PAIN5014
Academic unit Discipline of Pain Medicine
Credit points 6
Prohibitions
? 
None
Prerequisites
? 
None
Corequisites
? 
None
Assumed knowledge
? 

This unit is cased based and is best suited for experienced clinicians

Available to study abroad and exchange students

No

Teaching staff

Coordinator Duncan Sanders, duncan.sanders@sydney.edu.au
Type Description Weight Due Length
Assignment hurdle task Case synopsis and resource file
Case study
40% Multiple weeks 2000 words
Outcomes assessed: LO1 LO2 LO3 LO4 LO5 LO6
Assignment hurdle task Cancer portfolio
Report
60% Week 13
Due date: 06 Nov 2022 at 23:59
3000-3500 words
Outcomes assessed: LO1 LO2 LO3 LO4 LO5 LO6
hurdle task = hurdle task ?

Assessment summary

  • Case presentation: The unit co-ordinator allocates you a case at the beginning of the semester, which you will lead as a student tutor. As the student tutor your role is to prepare for, and facilitate, the case discussion as scheduled by the unit co-ordinator.
  • Case synopsis and resource file: On completion of your student-led tutorial you must review the case discussion and the summaries you provided for each trigger. Then write a short case synopsis that encapsulates the key discussion areas and issues raised by the case.
  • Cancer portfolio: For this assignment you need to complete three tasks. The first is writing a speech covering issues of opioid efficacy and schedule, addiction and route, tolerance and mortality. The second is choosing one of the learning topics from any of the cases you have completed and developing a patient or staff information sheet/brochure. The third is choosing a current controversy in cancer pain management and critically reviewing the literature to develop your position in relation to the issue you are analysing.
Detailed information for each assessment can be found on Canvas.

Assessment criteria

The University awards common result grades, set out in the Coursework Policy 2014 (Schedule 1).

As a general guide, a high distinction indicates work of an exceptional standard, a distinction a very high standard, a credit a good standard, and a pass an acceptable standard.

Result name

Mark range

Description

High distinction

85 - 100

 

Distinction

75 - 84

 

Credit

65 - 74

 

Pass

50 - 64

 

Fail

0 - 49

When you don’t meet the learning outcomes of the unit to a satisfactory standard.

For more information see sydney.edu.au/students/guide-to-grades.

For more information see guide to grades.

Late submission

In accordance with University policy, these penalties apply when written work is submitted after 11:59pm on the due date:

  • Deduction of 5% of the maximum mark for each calendar day after the due date.
  • After ten calendar days late, a mark of zero will be awarded.

Academic integrity

The Current Student website  provides information on academic integrity and the resources available to all students. The University expects students and staff to act ethically and honestly and will treat all allegations of academic integrity breaches seriously.  

We use similarity detection software to detect potential instances of plagiarism or other forms of academic integrity breach. If such matches indicate evidence of plagiarism or other forms of academic integrity breaches, your teacher is required to report your work for further investigation.

You may only use artificial intelligence and writing assistance tools in assessment tasks if you are permitted to by your unit coordinator, and if you do use them, you must also acknowledge this in your work, either in a footnote or an acknowledgement section.

Studiosity is permitted for postgraduate units unless otherwise indicated by the unit coordinator. The use of this service must be acknowledged in your submission.

Simple extensions

If you encounter a problem submitting your work on time, you may be able to apply for an extension of five calendar days through a simple extension.  The application process will be different depending on the type of assessment and extensions cannot be granted for some assessment types like exams.

Special consideration

If exceptional circumstances mean you can’t complete an assessment, you need consideration for a longer period of time, or if you have essential commitments which impact your performance in an assessment, you may be eligible for special consideration or special arrangements.

Special consideration applications will not be affected by a simple extension application.

Using AI responsibly

Co-created with students, AI in Education includes lots of helpful examples of how students use generative AI tools to support their learning. It explains how generative AI works, the different tools available and how to use them responsibly and productively.

WK Topic Learning activity Learning outcomes
Week 01 Orientation Online class (10 hr)  
Week 02 Case 1: breast cancer Online class (10 hr) LO1 LO2 LO6
Week 04 Case 2: colorectal cancer Online class (10 hr) LO1 LO2 LO3 LO5 LO6
Week 06 Case 3: ovarian cancer Online class (10 hr) LO1 LO2 LO3 LO4 LO5
Week 08 Case 4: lung cancer Online class (10 hr) LO1 LO2 LO3 LO4 LO5 LO6
Week 10 Case 5: multiple myeloma Online class (10 hr) LO1 LO2 LO3 LO4 LO5 LO6
Week 12 Case 6: melanoma cancer Online class (10 hr) LO1 LO2 LO3 LO4 LO5 LO6

Attendance and class requirements

Students are required to contribute original content to the discussion forum at a minimum of twice per week in order to complete the unit

Study commitment

Typically, there is a minimum expectation of 1.5-2 hours of student effort per week per credit point for units of study offered over a full semester. For a 6 credit point unit, this equates to roughly 120-150 hours of student effort in total.

Learning outcomes are what students know, understand and are able to do on completion of a unit of study. They are aligned with the University's graduate qualities and are assessed as part of the curriculum.

At the completion of this unit, you should be able to:

  • LO1. describe the differences between cancer pain and other types of pain
  • LO2. describe mechanisms and causes of cancer pain
  • LO3. discuss barriers to effective cancer pain relief
  • LO4. discuss the rationale and main algorithms behind treatment of cancer pain
  • LO5. describe the main modes of therapy and their complications
  • LO6. discuss the various clinical practice guidelines available for cancer pain.

Graduate qualities

The graduate qualities are the qualities and skills that all University of Sydney graduates must demonstrate on successful completion of an award course. As a future Sydney graduate, the set of qualities have been designed to equip you for the contemporary world.

GQ1 Depth of disciplinary expertise

Deep disciplinary expertise is the ability to integrate and rigorously apply knowledge, understanding and skills of a recognised discipline defined by scholarly activity, as well as familiarity with evolving practice of the discipline.

GQ2 Critical thinking and problem solving

Critical thinking and problem solving are the questioning of ideas, evidence and assumptions in order to propose and evaluate hypotheses or alternative arguments before formulating a conclusion or a solution to an identified problem.

GQ3 Oral and written communication

Effective communication, in both oral and written form, is the clear exchange of meaning in a manner that is appropriate to audience and context.

GQ4 Information and digital literacy

Information and digital literacy is the ability to locate, interpret, evaluate, manage, adapt, integrate, create and convey information using appropriate resources, tools and strategies.

GQ5 Inventiveness

Generating novel ideas and solutions.

GQ6 Cultural competence

Cultural Competence is the ability to actively, ethically, respectfully, and successfully engage across and between cultures. In the Australian context, this includes and celebrates Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures, knowledge systems, and a mature understanding of contemporary issues.

GQ7 Interdisciplinary effectiveness

Interdisciplinary effectiveness is the integration and synthesis of multiple viewpoints and practices, working effectively across disciplinary boundaries.

GQ8 Integrated professional, ethical, and personal identity

An integrated professional, ethical and personal identity is understanding the interaction between one’s personal and professional selves in an ethical context.

GQ9 Influence

Engaging others in a process, idea or vision.

Outcome map

Learning outcomes Graduate qualities
GQ1 GQ2 GQ3 GQ4 GQ5 GQ6 GQ7 GQ8 GQ9

This section outlines changes made to this unit following staff and student reviews.

No changes have been made since this unit was last offered

Disclaimer

The University reserves the right to amend units of study or no longer offer certain units, including where there are low enrolment numbers.

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