Free Online Nursing Courses You Can Take Right Now

How Do Viruses Cause Infection

American Nurses Association (ANA)

This online course is a collaboration between the ANA and Project Firstline, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) National Training Collaborative for Healthcare Infection Prevention & Control. The course explores the science of viral infections to help nurses understand how to control and treat them.

Nurses can earn 0.75 nursing contact hours for completing this course. Access to the course expires in the summer of 2028, but the program page offers more specific information.

See You Now: Rooting Out Racism in Health Care

American Nurses Association (ANA)

The course comprises four podcasts from experienced nurses and researchers addressing topics of racism and equity in the healthcare system. Listeners learn about current strategies and initiatives to address racism in the field and how inclusivity and racial awareness can improve patient outcomes.

This course offers 4.0 nursing contact hours. The course expires in the spring, but you can check with the program for the specific dates.

See You Now: Focus on Mental Health

American Nurses Association (ANA)

In this four-podcast course, nurses can learn about the signs and symptoms of mental health issues and some of the methods available to address them. The podcasts also examine innovations in psychiatric care and the importance of eliminating mental health stigma.

This course offers 4.0 nursing contact hours and expires in the summer, but you should check with the program for the exact dates.

The Concept of Infection Control

American Nurses Association (ANA)

This online course was developed by the ANA and Project Firstline, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) National Training Collaborative for Healthcare Infection Prevention & Control. It looks at the key strategies and goals of infection control and prevention, as well as the Project Firstline initiatives.

The course offers 0.5 nursing contact hours, and it expires in the summer of 2028. Check with the program for the exact dates.

NIOSH Training for Nurses on Shift Work and Long Work Hours

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)

This course from the CDC’s National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health explores the risks associated with nurses working long hours. Participants learn to identify the health and safety risks of long shifts and develop workplace strategies to reduce these negative effects. The self-paced program comprises 12 modules split into two parts.

The entire program offers 2.5 contact hours and 0.2 CEUs. The course must be completed before the fall expiry date (exact dates can be found on the website).

Workplace Violence Prevention for Nurses

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)

This CDC training course helps nurses understand, recognize, and prevent violence in the workplace. Participants learn about the risk factors and warning signs of workplace violence, along with victim support strategies and the key components of violence prevention programs.

The self-paced course contains six modules and provides 0.3 CEUs and 3.0 nursing contact hours. The course expires in the spring, but you can find the exact dates on the program website.

Nursing Studies – Diet Therapy

Alison, US Army Medical Center of Excellence

This course from the US Army Medical Center of Excellence explores the effects of diet on disease treatment and prevention. Participants learn strategies for creating and incorporating diet therapy into treatment plans for digestive disorders and diseases.

Containing a learning module and an assessment module, the course takes 1.5-3 hours to finish. Upon completion, participants receive a certificate to share with employers.

The Musculoskeletal System: The Science of Staying Active into Old Age

Future Learn, The Medical Research Council Versus Arthritis Centre for Integrated Research into Musculoskeletal Ageing

This course was developed as part of a collaboration between the Medical Research Council Versus Arthritis Centre for Integrated Research into Musculoskeletal Aging and the Universities of Liverpool, Sheffield, and Newcastle universities. Course participants learn about musculoskeletal health by studying the effects of age, exercise, and diet on the musculoskeletal system.

The self-paced program requires three hours of study per week for three weeks. Individuals who finish the course may purchase a certificate of completion.

Structural Racism in Healthcare

Emergency Nurses Association (ENA)

The Emergency Nurses Association (ENA) developed this course to address issues of racism in healthcare and to help professionals understand ethnic health inequities. Lessons explore the correlation between race and medicine and how racism affects patient care.

As an accredited provider of nursing continuing education, the ENA offers 1.0 contact hour for completion of this course. Course access expires in the fall of 2026, but you should check the website for more details.

Clinicians and Firearms 2.0: A Curriculum on Firearm Injury Prevention in Medical Practice

Stanford University

In this course, healthcare providers learn how to discuss firearm injury prevention strategies with patients. Participants study firearms and their impact on injuries and deaths across the country, while also picking up strategies reducing patient risk to firearm injuries.

The online, self-paced course can provide up to 2.0 nursing contact hours, and the course expires in the summer of 2027. Check the course website for specifics.

Creating and Sustaining Healthy Work Environments (HWEs)

American Association of Critical Care Nurses

The American Association of Critical Care Nurses webinar explores the six HWE standards to help nurses provide compassionate patient care. The training also provides healthcare setting assessment tools and strategies to improve the work environment.

The webinar series provides 1.0 nursing contact hour, and it expires in the spring of 2027. Visit the course webpage for more detailed information.

An Evidence-Based Approach to the Diagnosis and Management of Migraines in Adults in the Primary Care and General Neurology Setting

edX, Stanford University

This course was developed to assist primary care providers in the diagnosis and treatment of migraines without the use of opioids. Nurse and other clinician participants learn how to distinguish migraines from headaches, why to avoid opiate treatments, and pain management techniques.

For completion, the self-paced course offers 1.5 nursing contact hours and 1.5 CEUs. The course expires in the spring of 2026, but you can check the program page for more information.

Intimate Partner Violence (IPV): Interprofessional Strategies for Prevention and ResponseedX, University of Michigan, University System of Maryland, University of Maryland Baltimore

This self-paced online nursing course from the University of Michigan, University System of Maryland, and University of Maryland Baltimore is designed to help healthcare or social work professionals identify signs of potential intimate partner violence (IPV). The course examines IPV screening strategies and the appropriate support and safety plans that clinical professionals can offer.

The course takes five weeks to complete, with 2-3 hours required each week. Course expiry comes in the summer, so check with the program for the exact dates.

Identifying and Responding to Developmental Delay in Young Children

edX, Stanford University

Stanford’s course provides primary care clinicians with the knowledge and tools to identify children who are at risk of having developmental delays. The training includes guides on using, interpreting, and implementing developmental screening tools in practice.

Upon completion of the 2-to-3-hour self-paced course, participants may qualify for 2.5 CEUs.

Key Concepts for Trauma Care in the ICU and PCU, Part 1

American Association of Critical Care Nurses

In this three-part webinar series, nurses learn the fundamentals of trauma care and resuscitation, particularly in mass casualty events. The series also explores essential trauma assessment and management techniques.

The training series provides one nursing contact hour, and it expires in the spring of 2026. Visit the website for the specifics.