Nurses have one of the most challenging, admirable jobs on the planet. Not only must they meet the changing demands of the workplace every day of the week, but they must also meet the demands of our ever-changing technologies and scientific discoveries by earning continuing education credits each year to provide the best, most up-to-date care possible for their patients.
We’ve done what we can to make their jobs just a little bit easier by compiling the following list of online professional development resources for nurses and for those who are considering a career as a nurse.
Promoting Career Growth
- AAMN: American Assembly for Men in Nursing: The AAMN supports and encourages men in the nursing profession, advocates for men’s health issues, and provides resources for education and employment. Membership is open to anyone, regardless of gender.
- American Association of Colleges for Nursing: AACN offers resources for recent nursing graduates such as a professional nursing network to match up graduates with employers and a downloadable brochure about what to expect during the job search. A faculty career section provides faculty vacancies, faculty prep programs, faculty development, and details about the current nursing faculty shortage in the United States.
- American Red Cross Nursing: Red Cross employees and volunteers provide a variety of humanitarian, medical, and disaster-relief services locally and internationally. This site provides a detailed overview of the ways in which nurses and nursing students can get involved or apply for a student nurse scholarship.
- Cancernursing.org: This UK-affiliated site administers free enrichment courses for clinicians working in cancer care. Anyone may register for the courses, but professional CEUs are most likely not available for non-UK students.
- Exceptional Nurse: Exceptional Nurse has compiled a comprehensive list of resources for students and nurses with disabilities in areas such as continuing education and career access, chronic pain and fatigue, employment, specialty equipment and technology, legal issues, and nurses in recovery. The most unique resource is an email list of nurses and students with disabilities who have offered to mentor others with challenges similar to theirs.
- National League for Nursing: Members of NLN include educators, health care agencies, and anyone with an interest in advancing nurse education programs. The NLN website offers information about the Certified Nurse Educator examination, faculty development, testing services, publications, and the annual NLN education summit.
- National Nursing Staff Development Organization: The NNSDO promotes continuing education options for nurses with an online forum, training courses, a list of upcoming conventions and conferences, legislative updates, special interest groups, and downloadable documents to help nurses navigate their own career development.
- Nursing Jobs: Travel Nursing Jobs, Per Diem Nursing Jobs and Staff Nursing Jobs: Nurse Recruiter is the leading nursing job board online.
- Nursing Jobs Help: This straightforward guide for potential nursing students provides lessons on everything from professional image and communication tips to how to pay for nursing school and a nursing glossary. Job seekers will find the state-specific employment listings helpful.
- Nurses Learning Network: The Nurses Learning Network is a partnership of several nursing organizations committed to continuing education for nurses. Participants can select a course from the catalog, follow the training modules online, and print their certificates in one fell swoop. Two helpful tools found on the site are a CE log book to help participants keep track of the courses they’ve enrolled in and a special section devoted to state-mandated courses.
- Rn.org: Rn.org offers unlimited access to online, accredited nursing CEU courses for all nursing professionals (e.g. nursing assistants and aids, CNAs, midwifes, nutritionists, and registered respiratory therapists) for a reasonable annual fee of $19.99. The course catalog is divided into categories such as free, state-specific, FEMA/disaster management, nursing assistant, and courses for Spanish speakers.
- Nurse Continuing Education: Administering online continuing education courses in 15 specialty areas, this site also provides a list of links for state board requirements to help students navigate the required CE hours for their particular location. Courses may be ordered through the mail or taken online.
Resources on Education and Research
- The American Institute of Forensic Education: Online forensic education for registered nurses and nurse practitioners is available on this site in a wide variety of formats: webinars, podcasts, virtual classrooms, self-paced courses, and a special section available to members only.
- American Nurses Credentialing Center: As a subsidiary of the American Nursing Association (ANA), this site contains a comprehensive guide for continuing nursing education credits: a list of accredited schools offering CNE, seminars and symposiums for CNE credits, and tips on how to apply for a program.
- The Institute for Johns Hopkins Nursing: This prestigious organization offers a variety of continuing education programs for nurses and nurse practitioners via on-campus conferences and workshops, online courses, podcasts, teleconferences, and video conferences.
- LearningNurse.com: Divided into two parts, the Learning Nurse Resource Network provides a free “Test and Quiz Center” and a free “e-Learning Center.” The 93 quizzes will help nurses assess their individual competencies, and the training modules and resource lists will help them achieve their educational objectives.
- National Council of State Boards of Nursing: NCSBN is a complete resource for the regulatory boards of nursing across the United States. The NCSBN website contains nursing initiatives, nursing research and data, licensure FAQs, and a comprehensive guide for board exam candidates.
- National Institute of Nursing Research: Operated by the National Institutes of Health, NINR focuses on the advancement of research to improve health care practices. The website provides access to NINR press releases, newsletters, podcasts, and publications on training and development.
- National League for Nursing Accrediting Commission: NLANC promotes accreditation in nursing programs worldwide and provides this website to help students and agencies navigate the accreditation process. Accredited nursing programs are searchable by country, state, institution name, and program type. Programs currently under consideration for accredited status are also listed.
- The National Organization of Nurse Practitioner Faculties: NONPF is a membership organization dedicated to the advancement of national and international nurse practitioner education. Users of the site will find details about current NONPF activities and events, nurse practitioner education resources, and links to NP professional organizations and certification. Members can access newsletters, a membership directory, additional educational resources, and faculty positions and announcements.
- Nurse Education Today: This international journal covers nurse education topics such as continuing education, distance learning, and clinical specialty education. Access to the journal requires a membership fee, but nonmembers are able to browse journal article titles and links to other periodicals.
- NPACE: Nurse Practitioner Associates for Continuing Education: NPACE provides primary and specialty care continuing education conferences both across the United States and online. Their website is most useful to nurses and students interested in participating NPACE conferences or job searching.
- Virginia Henderson International Nursing Library: VHINL is an electronic research database for the advancement of nursing and health care around the world. In addition to the database, users can access an extensive list of research materials such as animal and human subject protection, evidence-based nursing, grants and funding sources, and multilingual resources.
Helpful General Resources
- Advance for Nurses: This very functional site is useful for nurses currently in practice and for students who have yet to graduate from their nursing program. It provides advice about career advancement and a community section with a new graduate blog, Facebook connection, a “games” section with nursing-oriented crossword puzzles and word searches, job search, and a salary calculator.
- Bureau of Labor Statistics: Registered Nurses: The U.S. Department of Labor offers this current, no-frills report about everything related to working as a nurse. The nature of the work, qualifications, job outlook, salaries, related occupations, and resources for additional information are all available on this site.
- Dear Nurses – A Blog: This easy-to-read blog provides an unedited description of life as a nurse. Topics ranging from childbirth to ICU to pharmacology are summed up nicely with cartoons and real-life scenarios. Archived entries are available from May 2006 on.
- The Honor Society of Nursing, Sigma Theta Tau International: A nursing honor society founded in 1922, Sigma Theta Tau International is dedicated to advancing the education and professional development of nurses around the globe. This well organized site offers information about the honor society’s global initiatives, a nursing library, career and educational development, and opportunities for students and volunteers.
- International Council of Nurses: The International Council of Nurses operates 13 networks to streamline communication and relationships between nurses around the world in order to improve global health care initiatives. Current projects, publications, events, and news bulletins are available for members and nonmembers.
- Lippincott’s Nursing Center: For nurses currently working in the industry, this site provides a relevant list of articles covering topics such as career advancement, nursing specialties, job interviews, certification, and personal perspectives on life as a nurse.
- National Nurses United: As the largest union and professional organization of registered nurses in the United States, NNU is committed to providing leadership and a voice for all RNs. Their website contains employment opportunities, affiliate links, and updates on current issues affecting nurses across the country.
- Nurse Zone: For nurses in all stages of their careers, this site provides study tips, career advancement information, interview tips, a salary calculator, and a comprehensive list of resources for people interested in exploring life as a traveling nurse – from moving van rentals to choosing a new place to stop and work for a while.
- Scrubs Magazine for Nurses: The Nurses’ Guide to Good Living: An online version of Scrubs Magazine offers a fun and informative perspective on the realities of life as a nurse. Users will find career advice aimed at male nurses, seasoned nurses, and new nurses; a beauty and style section; wellness and prevention for nurses; off-beat news stories; and even a page full of “best of” lists.