We posted about using Coursera.org to improve computer skills in the past, but we wanted to revisit the topic in regards to online education. Massive open online courses (MOOC), like Coursera, offer students the ability to enroll in and attend classes online for free. There's no limit to the amount of students per course but based on personal experience you can get a very individualized education. 

So if you've been out of school for a while and your NCLEX seems like nothing more than a dream (or nightmare!) from long ago, here are some classes that might help you refresh your medical knowledge. Or, just learn about a new area and new advances. 

Contraception: Choices, Culture and Consequences offered by Jerusalem Mokonnen, RN, MSN, FNP offered through University of California: Learn about the wide range of contraceptive methods, and the public health implications related to access to information and choices about reproductive health.
Escpecially good for women's center or labor and delivery nurses. 

Antimicrobial Stewardship: Optimization of Antibiotic Practices offered by Stan Deresinski, MD through Stanford: This course will offer a practical approach to prescribing antibiotic therapy and development of antimicrobial stewardship across all specialties and settings. 
How are antibiotics really impacting our patients?

Diabetes: Diagnosis, Treatment, and Opportunities offered by B. Joseph Guglielmo, PharmD and Lisa A. Kroon through University of California: This multidisciplinary course will emphasize the diagnosis and treatment of diabetes. Topics will include patient self-management, appropriate use of technologies, nutrition, behavior modification and pharmacotherapy in the management of this disease. The course will conclude by summarizing new basic science research regarding the pathophysiology and treatment of diabetes.
A deeper look at Diabetes. 

Child Nutrition and Cooking offered by Maya Adam, MD through Stanford University: Learn the basics of child nutrition and how to make healthy meals for healthy children and families.
Great addition for Pediatric Nurses.