Nation’s Opioid Epidemic Is the Focus of New Free Education Offerings

Nurse.com by OnCourse Learning launches free CE series for National Nurses Week, supported by Johnson & Johnson

BROOKFIELD, Wis., May 1, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- In response to the nation’s opioid crisis, Nurse.com by OnCourse Learning is offering the free continuing education series “Confronting the Opioid Epidemic” to give nurses the latest information on helping patients overcome substance abuse issues.

The series, which launched in advance of National Nurses Week May 6-12, is being provided thanks to an educational grant from Johnson & Johnson Family. Nurse.com also is celebrating nurses with a robust “National Nurses Week 2018" digital magazine.

“The abuse and misuse of opioids has created a public health emergency,” said Patrick Sheahan, President and CEO of OnCourse Learning. “Nurses see the damage every day. Offering continuing education to clinicians can positively impact care and expand the knowledge base of nurses nationwide.”

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports more than 115 Americans die every day from opioid overdoses. The annual financial burden is estimated at $78.5 billion, which includes the cost of healthcare, addiction treatment and criminal justice involvement.

Johnson & Johnson proudly celebrates National Nurses Week. As nurses are on the frontlines of healthcare every day, in every community across the U.S., Johnson & Johnson is pleased to support the CE curriculum, “Confronting the Opioid Epidemic,” to help more nurses learn about this important healthcare crisis and be prepared to take action.

The educational series will feature more than a dozen free CE offerings through Dec. 31.

Free CE for nurses

The following free courses are available during National Nurses Week:

• CE webinar: The recorded presentation “Substance Abuse and Women” will provide information about the unique substance abuse risk factors for women. Host Susanne J. Pavlovich-Danis, MSN, RN, ARNP-C, CDE, CRRN, will discuss reproductive concerns and other issues.
• CE course: “Knocking Out Pain Safely with PCA” focuses on patient-controlled analgesia risks and how nurses can ensure patients are protected from medication errors and receive adequate pain control.
• CE course: “Medication Nonadherence: America’s Other Drug Problem” presents the factors that prevent nonadherence.

What’s next for learners?

Additional CE opportunities will launch throughout 2018 on the “Confronting the Opioid Epidemic” web page, including:

• “Prescription Drug Abuse: Knowing the Danger Signs”
• “Chronic Pain: How Do We Treat It in an Era of Increasing Prescription Medication Misuse and Abuse?”
• “Pain Management and Ethics: What’s the Right Thing to Do?”
• “Responsible Opioid Prescribing, Chronic Pain and Addiction”
• “Patient Counseling: Preventing and Combatting Opioid Misuse and Abuse”
• “Meeting the Challenges of the Pediatric Patient”
• “Health Literacy and Discharge Education: I Didn’t Understand”
• “Recognizing Drug-Seeking Behavior”
• “Evidence-Based Pain Control”
• “Motivational Interviewing: Helping Patients Make Lifestyle Changes”

Digital magazine

The Nurse.com digital edition features a tribute to Florence Nightingale, including original downloadable letters from July 1861 and August 1861 from the nursing pioneer and insights on how Nightingale would respond to today’s healthcare issues.

Other features include:

• National nurse leader Susan Hassmiller, PhD, RN, FAAN, examines the strides made in nursing education.
• Nurses in advocacy roles discuss their mission to advocate for patients and the public.
• How student nurses celebrate the profession during National Nurses Week.

Nurse.com is the largest digital resource dedicated to registered nurses, providing news, employment opportunities, and continuing education programming through the publication and its complementary digital products including website, blogs, e-books and social media outlets. To learn more, visit Nurse.com or follow us on Facebook and Twitter.

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About OnCourse Learning
OnCourse Learning delivers licensure, regulatory and compliance education solutions throughout the nation’s leading industries including financial services, healthcare and real estate. Through trusted industry expertise, compliance management and technology solutions, OnCourse Learning focuses on advancing the e-learning environment for individuals and businesses to help to build new careers, empower employees through knowledge and identify efficiencies in corporate training management. OnCourse Learning offers a full suite of educational products including state and federally approved prelicensing and continuing education programs, accredited course content, exam prep tools, publications, e-books, events and a sophisticated and customizable learning management system and course-authoring tool. To learn more, visit OnCourseLearning.com.