The nursing program map

Strategies for Success in Nursing School

Study habits, time management and test-taking for nursing school.

Licence: CC BY 4.0 · Source: LibreTexts

Medical Terminology

Roots, prefixes and suffixes used in every health course.

Licence: CC BY 4.0 · Source: LibreTexts

Mental Health is a Verb

Looking after your own wellbeing while you train.

Licence: CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 · Source: LibreTexts

Anatomy and Physiology I

Usually required before nursing fundamentals.

Licence: CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 · Source: OpenStax

Anatomy and Physiology II

Cardiovascular, respiratory, digestive, urinary and reproductive systems: a gate to nursing and allied health.

Helpful first: Anatomy and Physiology I

Licence: CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 · Source: OpenStax

Microbiology

Infection, immunity and why we use aseptic technique.

Helpful first: General Biology I (cells and genetics)

Licence: CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 · Source: OpenStax

Introductory Chemistry

Many programs accept General, Organic and Biological Chemistry instead.

Licence: CC BY 4.0 · Source: LibreTexts

General, Organic and Biological Chemistry

The one-semester chemistry course for nursing and allied health, with high pressure to pass.

Helpful first: Introductory Chemistry

Licence: CC BY-NC-SA 3.0 · Source: LibreTexts

Human Nutrition

The science of nutrition, which nursing nutrition builds on.

Licence: CC BY 4.0 · Source: Pressbooks

Lifespan Development

Growth and development from birth to old age.

Licence: CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 · Source: OpenStax

Introduction to Psychology

One of the largest-enrolment gateway courses; DFW often 15 to 25 percent.

Licence: CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 · Source: OpenStax

Introductory Statistics

Reading research and understanding evidence.

Licence: CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 · Source: OpenStax

English Composition

Clear writing for care plans, charts and papers.

Licence: CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 · Source: OpenStax

The US Healthcare System

How the health system is organised and paid for.

Licence: CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 · Source: LibreTexts

Fundamentals of Nursing

The OpenStax text. The OpenRN version below covers the same ground.

Helpful first: Anatomy and Physiology I

Licence: CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 · Source: OpenStax

Nursing Fundamentals (OpenRN)

A second open nursing fundamentals text with case-based chapters.

Helpful first: Anatomy and Physiology I

Licence: CC BY 4.0 · Source: LibreTexts

Subjective Health Assessment (Health History)

Interviewing and health history.

Helpful first: Fundamentals of Nursing

Licence: CC BY-SA 4.0 · Source: LibreTexts

Physical assessment

'Physical Assessment' on LibreTexts (CC BY-NC) is mostly videos and assignments with very little text, so we could not build a good pack. Clinical Nursing Skills and Nursing Skills (OpenRN) cover assessment technique.

Helpful first: Anatomy and Physiology II, Fundamentals of Nursing

Possible source: med.libretexts.org

Clinical Nursing Skills

Step-by-step nursing procedures and assessment skills.

Helpful first: Fundamentals of Nursing

Licence: CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 · Source: OpenStax

Nursing Skills (OpenRN)

Procedures and skills with the rationale for each step.

Helpful first: Fundamentals of Nursing

Licence: CC BY-SA 4.0 · Source: LibreTexts

Clinical Procedures for Safer Patient Care

Step-by-step clinical procedures with the reasons behind each step.

Helpful first: Fundamentals of Nursing

Licence: CC BY 4.0 · Source: LibreTexts

Pharmacology for Nurses

Drug classes, actions and safe administration concepts. Study aid only.

Helpful first: Fundamentals of Nursing, General, Organic and Biological Chemistry

Licence: CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 · Source: OpenStax

Nursing Pharmacology (OpenRN)

Pharmacology by drug class with nursing considerations.

Helpful first: Fundamentals of Nursing

Licence: CC BY 4.0 · Source: LibreTexts

Medical-Surgical Nursing

Adults with common medical and surgical conditions.

Helpful first: Fundamentals of Nursing, Anatomy and Physiology II

Licence: CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 · Source: OpenStax

Health Case Studies (COPD, Sepsis, Heart Failure and more)

Patient cases that tie it together.

Helpful first: Medical-Surgical Nursing

Licence: CC BY-SA 4.0 · Source: LibreTexts

EKG Interpretation

Rhythm interpretation.

Helpful first: Anatomy and Physiology II

Licence: CC BY 4.0 · Source: LibreTexts

Health alterations and pathophysiology

Open RN 'Nursing Health Alterations' (CC BY 4.0) is on Pressbooks, which blocks our pack builder; we will add it when its host allows it or when it appears on LibreTexts.

Helpful first: Medical-Surgical Nursing

Possible source: wtcs.pressbooks.pub

Maternal-Newborn Nursing

Pregnancy, labour and delivery, and the newborn.

Helpful first: Fundamentals of Nursing

Licence: CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 · Source: OpenStax

Pediatric nursing

We found no openly licensed pediatric nursing textbook that allows adaptation. Lifespan Development and the Maternal-Newborn course cover some of the ground.

Helpful first: Fundamentals of Nursing, Lifespan Development

Psychiatric-Mental Health Nursing

Mental health conditions, therapeutic communication and treatment.

Helpful first: Fundamentals of Nursing, Abnormal Psychology

Licence: CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 · Source: OpenStax

Mental Health and Community Concepts

Mental health and community nursing concepts.

Helpful first: Fundamentals of Nursing

Licence: CC BY 4.0 · Source: LibreTexts

Trauma-Informed Care in Behavioral Health Services

Recognising trauma and responding without causing more harm (US government publication).

Helpful first: Mental Health and Community Concepts

Licence: Public domain · Source: LibreTexts

Gerontological nursing (care of older adults)

'Care Navigation of Older Adults' (CC BY) is on LibreTexts but is too short for a good pack. Biology of Aging is available now.

Helpful first: Fundamentals of Nursing, Biology of Aging

Possible source: med.libretexts.org

Biology of Aging

Biological changes with age, for gerontology and health majors.

Helpful first: General Biology I (cells and genetics)

Licence: CC BY 4.0 · Source: LibreTexts

Nursing Care at the End of Life

Palliative and end-of-life care.

Helpful first: Fundamentals of Nursing

Licence: CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 · Source: LibreTexts

Population Health for Nurses

Community and public health nursing, prevention and social determinants.

Helpful first: Fundamentals of Nursing

Licence: CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 · Source: OpenStax

Community and Public Health Nursing

Population-focused nursing, prevention, health policy and advocacy.

Helpful first: Population Health for Nurses

Licence: CC BY 4.0 · Source: LibreTexts

Social Determinants of Health in Nursing

How housing, income, education and discrimination shape health, and what nurses can do.

Helpful first: Fundamentals of Nursing

Licence: CC BY-NC 4.0 · Source: LibreTexts

Vaccine Practice for Health Professionals

Immunisation science, safe administration, schedules and talking with families.

Helpful first: Microbiology

Licence: CC BY-SA 4.0 · Source: LibreTexts

Public Health Ethics: Cases Spanning the Globe

Ethics applied to public health cases.

Helpful first: Fundamentals of Nursing

Licence: CC BY-NC 4.0 · Source: LibreTexts

Nursing Management and Professional Concepts

Delegation, prioritisation and professional practice.

Helpful first: Fundamentals of Nursing

Licence: CC BY 4.0 · Source: LibreTexts

Leadership and Influencing Change in Nursing

Leadership styles, quality improvement and leading change at the bedside and beyond.

Helpful first: Nursing Management and Professional Concepts

Licence: CC BY 4.0 · Source: LibreTexts

The Scholarship of Writing in Nursing Education

Academic writing, APA style and reflective writing for nursing students.

Helpful first: English Composition

Licence: CC BY-SA 4.0 · Source: LibreTexts

Nursing research and evidence-based practice

'Evidence-Based Practice & Research Methodologies' (Fawns, CC BY-NC-SA) is on Pressbooks, which blocks our pack builder. Introductory Statistics covers the maths.

Helpful first: Introductory Statistics

Possible source: uen.pressbooks.pub

Nursing informatics

'Nursing Informatics, Communication, and Collaboration' (Garner-Jones, CC BY-NC-SA) is on Pressbooks, which blocks our pack builder.

Helpful first: Nursing Management and Professional Concepts

Possible source: uen.pressbooks.pub

Nursing Advanced Skills (OpenRN)

IV therapy, airway, wound and ostomy care and more.

Helpful first: Nursing Skills (OpenRN)

Licence: CC BY 4.0 · Source: LibreTexts

Mechanical ventilation basics

'Breathe Easy' on LibreTexts (CC BY-NC-SA) is mostly interactive content with too little text for a pack, so it is not built yet.

Helpful first: Medical-Surgical Nursing

Possible source: med.libretexts.org

Critical care nursing

We found no openly licensed critical care nursing textbook. Advanced Skills, EKG Interpretation and Ventilation Basics cover parts.

Helpful first: Medical-Surgical Nursing, EKG Interpretation

Capstone and transition to practice

Capstones are built around your program's clinical placement, so there is no single open textbook. Use My content to study your own capstone materials.

Helpful first: Nursing Management and Professional Concepts

NCLEX preparation

No openly licensed NCLEX question bank allows adaptation. Quizzes and practice tests on every course above are the way to practise today.

Helpful first: Medical-Surgical Nursing, Pharmacology for Nurses