Top 5 COVID Online Training Resources for Nurses

Are you confident in your ability to care for your patients during this pandemic? Are you confident in your ability to keep yourself healthy and prevent the spread of COVID-19?

It is important that nurses not only know how to protect and care for their patients, but also proactively protect themselves. This article explores five resources that can give you confidence and peace of mind when you step forward to care for a patient with COVID-19, along with actionable guidelines to keep yourself healthy.

Free Online Training and Resources:

1. COVID-19 Resource: Relias

For a quick study on preparing for, controlling, and preventing the spread of COVID-19, this series of short courses and publications by Relias will bring you up to speed on the current guidelines.

• Includes infection control basics, airborne precautions, and recommended use of PPE
• Hosts a telehealth course series to support current trends
• Provides information on pharmacotherapy considerations
• Posts up-to-date CDC guidelines
• Offers a live webinar series with experts on Coronavirus and Pandemic Preparedness
• FREE

2. COVID-19 Nurse Training Certification: Intelycare’s

For rehabilitation and long term care center nursing staff, consider Intelycare’s certificate course.

• Offers a certificate after course completion, worth one continuing education contact hour
• Covers COVID-19 transmission, signs and symptoms, diagnosis and treatment, PPE use, and infection control
• The interface is accessible by single users or managers can have their staff take the course and easily track their employee’s progress
• Course is available on your smartphone
• FREE  

3. COVID-19 Pulmonary, ARDS and Ventilator Resources

For critical care nurses and nurses who are cross training to care for patients with COVID-19, the American Association of Critical-Care Nurses developed a course with the latest critical knowledge and information to care for your patients.

• Covers the care of patients with acute respiratory failure and acute respiratory distress syndrome, including managing oxygen and ventilation
• Utilizes “real-world ICU scenarios” and interactive modules
• Includes free access to relevant procedures from the ‘AACN Procedure Manual for High Acuity, Progressive and Critical Care’
• Currently FREE

4. National Institutes of Health (NIH)

For all frontline responders who are at risk of COVID-19 exposure, the National Institutes of Health Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS) Worker Training Program (WTP) launched a comprehensive website in collaboration with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and other federal agencies to help you stay safe in the field. Joseph “Chip” Hughes, head of the WTP, notes that “These men and women are so dedicated and as they work so hard to serve and protect the public during this COVID-19 pandemic, I want to make sure they know how to protect their own health too.”

1. Includes courses, resources, webinars, presentations, and workshops
2. Provides links to federal agencies and documents with COVID-19 updates

5. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)

For the latest information available on COVID-19, the CDC website remains the go-to resource for updated guidelines and training pertaining to COVID-19.

1. The Healthcare Professionals page is an easy-to-navigate comprehensive tool, covering caring for patients and protecting patients and workers^[2]
2. The Training for Healthcare Professionals page includes webinars and courses that enable you to confidently navigate COVID-19 with the most up-to-date information available

While this list covers a lot of ground for most working nurses, it doesn’t address strategies for staying sane in a world that feels like a war zone. The American Psychiatric Nurses Association (APNA) recommends that nurses monitor themselves for symptoms of Secondary Traumatic Stress, also known as compassion fatigue. This APNA resource provides tips to help manage stress and anxiety such as maintaining a regular sleep schedule, eating healthy meals,  practicing yoga, and staying connected to your support system.

COVID-19 is an evolving situation that requires nurses and other healthcare workers to keep up with rapidly changing guidelines, procedures, and information. Be prepared, stay current, and protect yourself by utilizing the resources listed in this article, and continuously review the latest updates so you can provide the best possible care to your patients. Prepare, review, and review again.