The Pulse
10 Free CEU Courses Every Nurse Can Take
Category: Continuing Education, Nurses
There are a lot of continuing education opportunities available for nurses.
However, many of the courses either cost money or they’re so niche, not every nurse can take them. So, we decided to put together a list of courses that are free, on topics relevant to every kind of nurse, and can go toward fulfilling your state CE requirements for nurses.
Here are 10 free CEU courses every nurse can take.
Credit offered: 1.25 ACCME credits
Whether or not you work in end-of-life care specifically, you’ll likely care for a patient who’s at the end of their life at some point. So, it’s smart to learn as much as you can on the topic.
In this course, you’ll learn about the concepts of death, grief, loss, bereavement, and coping strategies for patients and families. You’ll also discuss the case management standards of the practices and applications of end-of-life issues.
These lessons will help you identify the principles of palliative care and pain and symptom management in end-of-life cases, as well as apply the different levels of hospice care and the new Medicare hospice consultation rule.
Credit offered: 0.5 ACCME credit
The science behind how fitness affects health is always evolving, making this course important.
In this course, you’ll look at a study that assessed the longitudinal, aging-trajectory of lipids and lipoproteins for an adult’s life course. This data helps determine whether cardiorespiratory fitness can modify the age-associated trajectory of lipids and lipoproteins.
With many patients interested in knowing how fitness affects their health, this course can help you further understand the topic, so you can better care for and explain it to your patients.
Credit offered: 1 ACCME credit
Fractures are very common, affecting millions of Americans every year, according to the National Center for Biotechnology Information. But what if they could be prevented by evaluating looming risk factors?
You’ll explore that very topic in this course, learning when fracture risk is highest, as predicted by several circumstances and factors. These include: how recent their last fracture was; the risk of falls in osteoporotic patients both with and without a recent fracture; and the fracture likelihood of frail elderly patients who have osteoporosis and a high risk of falls.
By identifying patients with an imminent fracture risk, you can determine who should receive the highest priority for treatment and fall prevention.
Credit offered: 0.5 ACCME credit
Drug use is an issue among various age groups, including older adults.
This course looks at this population in particular, reviewing the results of a study that updated estimates of medication use, concurrent use, and drug-drug interactions among older adults in the United States. You’ll also explore if there’s been any changes in the risks of drug-drug interaction since the last study on the subject five years prior.
Credit offered: 1 ACCME credit
Approximately 10 million Americans suffer from osteoporosis, according to the National Osteoporosis Foundation. This course covers the overarching pathogenesis of this condition.
In the course, you’ll learn about changes in bone mineral density and fracture risk over a lifetime, normal bone biology, menopausal bone health issues, and how the condition affects men and women differently.
Upon completion, you’ll be able to describe the physiologic action of bone cells, the development of peak bone mass, and the bone remodeling cycle related to the pathophysiology of osteoporosis.
Credit offered: 0.5 ACCME credit
Unfortunately, many who are prescribed opioids go on to use them long-term. Sometimes they stick to legal drugs, other times they turn to illegal ones. Both cases can become a problem.
This course dives deeper into this issue, analyzing the findings of a retrospective data analysis that examined the link between initial opioid-prescribing patterns and the likelihood of subsequent long-term use.
Addiction is a big problem in America. Nurses understanding it can be part of the solution.
Credit offered: 0.5 ACCME credit
About 25 percent of Americans over age 60 have diabetes, according to the American Diabetes Association. This course looks at this older population more closely.
In the course, you’ll review the findings of a study that evaluated the prevalence of glycemic, lipid, and blood pressure control among more than 5,000 participants aged 67 to 90. The study looked at how the condition affects people of different races, even evaluating individuals both with and without diagnosed diabetes.
Knowing the unique challenges of this population can help you better care for them.
Credit offered: 0.5 ACCME credit
A patient’s understanding of their own cancer can sometimes be the difference between life and death, affecting their treatment decisions and how hard they choose to fight. This makes physician discussions with these patients crucial—a subject this course covers.
During the course, you’ll review the findings of a study that examined the effects of recent and past clinical discussions on prognosis to see how illness understanding among patients with advanced cancer has changed over time.
Since nurses may be involved in these conversations, it’s good to see how certain approaches impact patient care.
Credit offered: 0.5 ACCME credit
Over 26 million Americans have asthma, according to the American Lung Association. Though it’s more prevalent in children, asthma still affects over 10 percent of people aged 65 and older.
This course lets you study these individuals, focusing on elderly women with asthma in particular. During the course, you’ll look at the findings of a literature review that was conducted to better understand the specific issues unique to this group, to better treat them.
Credit offered: 0.5 ACCME credit
Of those in America with diabetes, 90 to 95 percent have type 2, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. That’s why it’s important that nurses learn the most up-to-date management techniques.
This course will teach you that. You’ll review the latest update to the comprehensive type 2 diabetes management algorithm created by the American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists and the American College of Endocrinology.
These are only 10 of the many free CEUs for nurses we offer on our platform. For access to our entire catalog, be sure to claim your free account today.