If you are a nurse, it helps to stay up to date on the latest medical information and knowledge. Additionally, it can also help to have regular refreshers on the human body, as well as be reminded about administration, caring and procedure. There are a number of open courseware classes for nurses that are free and available to the public. These can help you become a better nurse and health care professional.

Physiology and Anatomy

It always helps to have reminders about the make-up of the human body. Physiology and anatomy open courseware can help you keep your knowledge fresh.

1. General Human Anatomy from the University of California Berkeley can help you get a look at the different systems in the body, and how they work.
2. Human Growth and Development from Tufts University provides insight into how the human body develops from birth to death.
3. Gastroenterology from MIT takes a specific look at the gastrointestinal system, how it works, and the disease that can cause problems there.
4. A Clinical Approach to the Human Brain from MIT offers a look at how the brain works, and provides a look at different diseases that affect the brain. One of the features of this course is that it looks at the anatomy of the brain, region by region.
5. Cardiovascular Pathophysiology from Tufts University approaches the cardiovascular system and how it works, as well as some of the diseases that can cause problems with the heart.

Diseases

There are a number of diseases out there, and it can help to be acquainted with the way infections and other problems affect the body. A course on disease can help keep you up to date on the latest treatments, as well as help refresh you on how to care for them.

6. Epidemiology of Infectious Diseases from Johns Hopkins University looks at the anatomy of an epidemic and how infectious diseases spread.
7. Pathophysiology of Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism from Tufts University provides an in-depth look at the kinds of diseases that can affect metabolism, and takes special care to look at diabetes. A great help for those who interact with patients who have chronic endocrine problems.
8. Images of Memorable Cases: 50 Years at the Bedside from Connexions provides an image-rich experience of interesting case studies. The focus is on medical diagnosis, and it can be a very helpful course for those who want to better serve their patients.
9. Biography of the AIDS Epidemic: Creating an Oral-History Project from Columbia University presents two e-seminars that follow the AIDS epidemic, and offers a look at the history of treatment, providing insight into today’s resources available to fight the disease.
10. Avoiding Genomic Instability: DNA Replication, the Cell Cycle, and Cancer from MIT offers a look at how cancer results when the natural process of DNA replication in the body goes awry. An interesting look at the development of cancer, and different treatments for it.

Biology

Since a lot of health care stems from biology, it can be helpful to have a grasp of some of the basic biological concepts. These open courseware helps can give you a better understanding of how things work when you start looking at some of the smallest systems in the body.

11. Introductory Biology from MIT offers a basic look at biology, and the building blocks of the human body.
12. Microbiology from Tufts University provides insight into microbiology. This is a look at how viruses and bacteria develop, and their roles in the body, as well as their roles in the creation of disease.
13. Genomics and Computational Biology from MIT provides a look at the workings behind gene sequencing and how it impacts health and the body.
14. Biological Agents of Water and Foodborne Bioterrorism from Johns Hopkins University is an interesting course about biology, and the biological agents that can be introduced into water and food to cause widespread health issues.
15. Public Health Biology from Johns Hopkins University is an interesting course that looks at biology and how it relates to public health. A great course for those interested in the wider impacts of human biology and the biology of disease.

Mental Health

This is an important aspect of health care. It is vital to understand how to help those with mental health problems and issues. Here are some open courseware classes that can help you increase your knowledge of mental health.

16. General Psychology from the University of California Berkeley provides a basic look at human psychology from a variety of angles.
17. Challenging ideas in mental health from Open University offers a chance for you to look at mental health from a new perspective, examining old ideas and new, and thinking critically about current mental health treatments.
18. Psychology of Personality from the University of California Berkeley addresses the mental aspects of personality, and how personality develops. Also addresses some personality disorders.
19. Mental health practice: Bonnyrigg from Open University looks at a definition of mental health, and then goes on to deconstruct the elements of a mental health practice and how to be a better practitioner.
20. Psychiatric Epidemiology from Johns Hopkins University provides a look at major mental disorders through different stages of human development.

Health Care Industry and Administration

Part of being a good nurse is understanding the health care industry, and how to be a good administrator. This is especially important if you are interested in career advancement. These open courseware classes can help you get a better handle on administration, caring and the health care industry.

21. Professional Issues in Nursing from University of Massachusetts Boston offers a look at the issues that come with nursing today.
22. Medical Terminology from the College of Eastern Utah provides a helpful refresher on common jargon that can help you keep up to date with what is going on in a professional medical setting.
23. Caring in Hospitals from Open University addresses different issues associated with hospital work.
24. Food and Nutrition Policy from Johns Hopkins University looks at the policy issues involved in nutrition science, as well as other health related policies.
25. Managed Care and Health Insurance from Johns Hopkins University provides an in-depth look at the health insurance industry, as well as how managed care works.

Tagged as: Health, Health Care, Mental health, Nursing, open courseware

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