Free Online Nursing Courses You Can Take Right Now

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

Ideal for nurses accustomed to long shifts, this course from the CDC explores the risks associated with working extended 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.

American Association of Critical-Care Nurses (AACN)

This AACN webinar explores the six work-environment standards to help nurses provide compassionate patient care. The training also provides healthcare setting assessment tools and strategies to improve the work environment when learners encounter opportunities for improvement.The webinar series provides one nursing contact hour.

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 four nursing contact hours.

Emergency Nurses Association (ENA)

The ENA developed this course to address issues of racism in healthcare and help nurses understand ethnic health inequities. Lessons explore the correlation between race and medicine and how racism affects patient care.As an accredited provider of nursing CE, the ENA offers one contact hour for completion of this course.

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 four nursing contact hours.

American Nurses Association (ANA)

This online course was developed by the ANA and Project Firstline, the CDC’s training collaborative for healthcare infection management. It examines the key strategies and goals of infection control and prevention and the Project Firstline initiatives.The course offers 0.5 nursing contact hours, and it expires in the summer of 2028.

Alison, US Army Medical Center of Excellence

This course from the US Army Medical Center of Excellence explores the wide-ranging effects of diet on disease treatment and prevention. This course is designed for nurses interested in learning more about strategies for incorporating diet therapy into treatment for gastrointestinal conditions.The course consists of a learning module and an assessment module, and it takes 1.5-3 hours to complete. Upon completion, participants receive a certificate to share with employers.

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 2-3-hour, self-paced course, participants qualify for CE credit.

American Association of Critical-Care Nurses (AACN)

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 — a great skill set to hone, particularly for current and prospective critical care and trauma nurses.The training series provides one nursing contact hour.

edX, University of Michigan, University System of Maryland, University of Maryland, Baltimore

This self-paced online nursing course from the University of Michigan, the University System of Maryland, and the University of Maryland, Baltimore, is designed to help healthcare or social work professionals identify signs of potential intimate partner violence (IPV). It 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. Those who complete the course receive a certificate.

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 learning strategies for reducing patient risk from firearm injuries.The online, self-paced course can provide up to two nursing contact hours.

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 or three nursing contact hours.

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

This course was developed through a collaboration with the universities of Liverpool, Sheffield, and Newcastle in the United Kingdom. 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.

edX, Stanford University

This course was developed to assist primary care providers in diagnosing and treating migraines without the use of opioids. It is a great fit for nurses and other clinician participants who want to distinguish migraines from other headaches. It can also help with pain management, including how to avoid opioid treatments.For completion, the self-paced course offers 1.5 nursing contact hours.

American Nurses Association (ANA)

This online course, a collaboration between the ANA and Project Firstline, 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.