Summary:

In this episode of "Palliatively Speaking" host Toby Campbell interviews Dr. Judith Paice, the director of the Cancer Pain Program at Northwestern Memorial Hospital and co-chair of the 2023 American Society of Clinical Oncology guideline on opioid use for cancer pain. The conversation explores Dr. Paice's 25-year involvement with the End-of-Life Nursing Education Consortium (ELNEC), a train-the-trainer program that has reached millions of healthcare professionals worldwide.

Dr. Paice discusses how ELNEC  started with five planned courses, and then expanded to over 300 courses translated into multiple languages. The curriculum has been adapted for various audiences, including pediatric nurses, advanced practice nurses, and faculty.

Using personal stories and anecdotes, Dr. Paice gives a closer look at the critical challenges in pain management, particularly the tension between managing cancer pain and the opioid epidemic. She emphasizes that oncology clinicians face unique pressures as they navigate both cancer pain management and opioid safety concerns. The conversation then shifts to a discussion about the importance of primary palliative care education for all oncology providers, not just specialist palliative care teams.

Later in the episode, Dr. Paice is joined by Sarah Lowery, a nurse practitioner at OHSU and ELNEC international trainer, and a mentee of Dr. Paice. Both speakers reflect on mentorship as essential to professional development and organizational sustainability. Dr. Paice advises emerging leaders to recognize their unique contributions, overcome imposter syndrome, and offers tips for identifying potential mentees for a successful collaborative relationship.