Faculty of Health
Nursing
Interprofessional Health Care Practice (SAI)
No suggested OER at this time.
Nursing (NSG)
Anatomy, Physiology and Medical Language
Author(s): NSCC, Kimberlee Carter, Marie Rutherford, Douglas College Biology Department
Licence: CC BY
Year: 2023
Description:
This open textbook, created for ANAP 1001 Anatomy, Physiology and Medical Language, focuses on the basic structure, functions and medical language related to human body systems. It’s a helpful resource for course learning activities, quizzes, and applied learning practicum experiences.
The book is organized in three sections – 1 |Medical Language, 2 |Human and Anatomy and Physiology and 3 |Systems of the Human Body. Each section contains content text, engaging learning activities, video content, and other visual activities.
Formats: Pressbooks webbook, EPUB, PDF
Includes: 187 H5P activities
Clinical Procedures for Safer Patient Care
Author(s): Glynda Rees Doyle and Jodie Anita McCutcheon (British Columbia Institute of Technology)
2015, updated 2021
Clinical Procedures for Safer Patient Care – Thompson Rivers University Edition
Author: Renée Anderson (Thompson Rivers University)
2018, updated 2021
Licence: CC BY 4.0
Description: This open educational resource (OER) was developed to ensure best practice and quality care based on the latest evidence, and to address inconsistencies in how clinical health care skills are taught and practiced in the clinical setting. The checklist approach, used in this textbook, aims to provide standardized processes for clinical skills and to help nursing schools and clinical practice partners keep procedural practice current. Each skill/procedure is covered in a chapter that has learning objectives, a brief overview of the relevant theory, checklists of steps for procedures with the rationale behind each step of the process, and a summary of key takeaways. Key terms are set in bold throughout the book and laid out again in a Glossary in the appendix. All checklists, tables and videos are listed and hyperlinked in the appendices.
This book should be used in conjunction with existing courses in any health care program. This book is not intended to replace core resources in health care programs that provide comprehensive information concerning diseases and conditions. An understanding of medical terminology, human anatomy, physiology, and pathophysiology is a required asset to use this book effectively. The development of technical skills is based on the knowledge of, practice to achieve proficiency in, and attitudes related to the skill, and an awareness of how our roles affect our patients and other health care professionals. This book contributes to enhancing safer care for patients by outlining evidence-based practices, and looking beyond just the technical skill to understanding the types of expertise and knowledge required to decrease adverse events.
Formats: Pressbooks webbook, EPUB, PDF, MOBI, and more
Reviews for BCIT version: Open Textbook Library – BCcampus – eCampusOntario Open Library
College Mathematics Review for Nursing Students
Author(s): Corinn Herrell, Cheryl Colan, Fatima Baig
Licence: CC BY
Description: This book is intended to help nursing students entering the first-semester block of their college programs develop the math skills necessary for making accurate medication dosage calculations. This book reviews skills from College Mathematics topics that build up to the technique of using dimensional analysis to perform calculations with different units of measurement, the primary method of medication calculations used in Nursing.
Formats: Pressbooks webbook
Includes: 138 H5P activities
Community Library: Nursing
Author(s): Various Canadian colleges
Year: 2022
Licence: CC BY-NC-SA 4.0
Description: Series of healthcare learning scenarios developed by Canadian colleges and hosted on Affinity. Topics include: palliative care at home, medication administration and safety, functional assessment, and communication.
Note: Some scenarios are available in French.
Format: Online
The Complete Subjective Health Assessment
Author(s): Jennifer L. Lapum, Oona St-Amant, Michelle Hughes, Paul Petrie, Sherry Morrell, and Sita Mistry (Toronto Metropolitan University)
Year: 2019
Licence: CC BY-SA 4.0
Description: This textbook is designed for the novice learner who is seeking to develop a foundational understanding of the complete subjective health assessment in the context of health and illness. The textbook deconstructs the categories of the complete subjective health assessment, providing learners with explanations and examples of what constitutes relevant subjective data. This textbook provides an opportunity to learn how to respond to normal, abnormal, and critical findings when completing a complete subjective health assessment.
Formats: Pressbooks webbook, EPUB, PDF, MOBI, and more
Reviews: Open Textbook Library
Creative Clinical Teaching in the Health Professions
Author(s): Sherri Melrose, Caroline Park, and Beth Perry (Athabasca University)
Year: 2021
Licence: CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 (Note: assigning sections is permitted, but adaptations are not allowed without permission)
Description: For healthcare professionals, clinical education is foundational to the learning process. However, balancing safe patient care with supportive learning opportunities for students can be challenging for instructors and the complex social context of clinical learning environments makes intentional teaching approaches essential. Clinical instructors require advanced teaching knowledge and skills as learners are often carrying out interventions on real people in unpredictable environments.
Creative Clinical Teaching in the Health Professions is an indispensable guide for educators in the health professions. Interspersed with creative strategies and notes from the field by clinical teachers who offer practical suggestions, this volume equips healthcare educators with sound pedagogical theory. The authors focus on the importance of personal philosophies, resilience, and professional socialization while evaluating the current practices in clinical learning environments from technology to assessment and evaluation. This book provides instructors with the tools to influence both student success and the quality of care provided by future practitioners.
Formats: Online (Manifold) and PDF
Reviews (Pressbooks version): Open Textbook Library – BCcampus – eCampusOntario Open Library
Cultural Resources for Community Nursing
Author: Dolores McCreary (Pennsylvania State University)
Year: 2020
Licence: CC BY 4.0
Description: Canada, the United States, and European nations are presently facing a migration crisis of a magnitude that has not been seen since the massive population displacements of the post–World War II era (Fleras, 2015). Due to the effects of globalization, economic policies, financial constraints, and forced migrations due to environmental or armed conflicts, nurses are providing health care to very diverse and sometimes vulnerable populations such as refugees and asylum seekers (Racine & Lu, 2015). On the other hand, globalization also brings increased ethnic and cultural diversity within health care organizations, which affects the way nurses deliver care and how they interact with nurses coming from other countries. More than ever, nurses must be culturally competent and culturally safe in their everyday practice regardless of the health settings in which they work.
Format: Pressbooks webbook
Diagnosis: a Medical Education Game
Author(s): Eleonora Leopardi, Nara Jones
Editor(s): Ruth Cameron, Anthony O’Brien
Licence: CC BY-SA
Year: 2024
Description: Diagnosis was created with, and for, students in the Joint Medical Program (JMP). The JMP is a unique partnership of the University of Newcastle and the University of New England. Learning is problem-based, and supported by early and broad clinical experience. This game-based open resource enables medical students to develop their diagnostic skills and adaptive expertise as they compete with each other to solve a clinical case.
Formats: Pressbooks webbook, EPUB, PDF, Pressbooks XML, WordPress XML, Common Cartridge (Web Links), Common Cartridge (LTI Links)
Supplementary materials: Game session materials
Diversity and Difference in Communication
Author: OpenLearn Diversity & Difference in Communication (Open University)
Year: 2021
Licence: CC BY-NC-SA 4.0
Description: Interpersonal communication in health and social care services is by its nature diverse. As a consequence, achieving good or effective communication whether between service providers and service users, or among those working in a service means taking account of diversity, rather than assuming that every interaction will be the same. This text explores the ways in which difference and diversity impact on the nature of communication in health and social care services.
Formats: Online and PDF
Documentation in Nursing: 1st Canadian Edition
Author(s): Jennifer Lapum, Oona St-Amant, Charlene Ronquillo, Michelle Hughes, and Joy Garmaise-Yee (Toronto Metropolitan University)
Year: 2020
Licence: CC BY-NC 4.0
Description: This open-access textbook is intended to guide best practices of documentation in the nursing profession. This resource is designed for students in undergraduate nursing programs, and addresses principles of documentation, legislation associated with documentation, methods and systems of documentation, and key trends in the future of documentation. Incorporated into this resource is legislation and practice standards specific to the province of Ontario, Canada.
Formats: Pressbooks webbook, EPUB, PDF, and MOBI
Exploring Indigenous Foods & Food Sovereignty
Author(s): Stevie D. Jonathan, Katie Maracle, and Scott Wild (Six Nations Polytechnic)
Year: 2022
Licence: CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 (Note: assigning sections is permitted, but adaptations are not allowed without permission)
Description: This OER examines food sovereignty and food experiences in Haudenosaunee communities, to explore ways of upholding our Haudenosaunee responsibilities to the land and enhancing the local practice of food sovereignty. Research findings revealed that local education about food sovereignty, Indigenous foods, and practices must be achieved, to promote these concepts in the lives of Six Nations of the Grand River community members.
Format: Pressbooks webbook
Foundations of Ambulatory Care Nursing
Author(s): Stacey Hobbick
Licence: CC BY-NC
Year: 2024
Description: Discover the fascinating realm of Ambulatory Care Nursing. From the foundations of the practice to complex case management scenarios, this text serves as a critical resource for both novice and seasoned nurses. It carefully outlines essential principles, advanced nursing skills, and current trends in patient-centered care within ambulatory settings. In addition, it explores core topics such as preventive care, wellness promotion, multidisciplinary collaboration, quality improvement, and safety, as well as the role of informatics in ambulatory care. Practical examples, real-world applications, and engaging case studies are woven throughout the text, offering a practical approach to learning. This textbook is a must-have for anyone looking to dive deep into the practice of Ambulatory Care Nursing and gain the knowledge and expertise required to excel in this specialized field.
Formats: Pressbooks webbook
Includes: 20 H5P activities
Fundamentals of Nursing Pharmacology: A Conceptual Approach – 1st Canadian Edition
Author(s): Amanda Egert, Kimberly Lee, and Manu Gill (British Columbia Institute of Technology)
Year: 2023
Licence: CC BY 4.0
Description: This textbook was designed specifically for the entry-level undergraduate nursing student in Canada. It is also applicable to other health disciplines for use. This textbook explores pharmacological concepts by showing the connections between pathophysiology, pharmacological principles, and common medication classes. This textbook also provides learning tools to improve the student’s retention with quizzes, videos, concept maps, drug cards, and is organized using a concept-based teaching approach.
Formats: Pressbooks webbook, EPUB, and PDF
Includes: H5P activities, medication cards
Fundamentals of Nursing Pharmacology – 1st Canadian Edition
Author(s): Chippewa Valley Technical College, Amanda Egert, Kimberly Lee, Manu Gill
Editor(s): Elizabeth Christman, Kimberly Ernstmeyer, Amanda Egert, Kimberly Lee, Manu Gill
Licence: CC BY 4.0
Year: 2023
Description: This adapted open-access Canadian Nursing Pharmacology textbook was designed specifically for the entry-level undergraduate nursing student. It is also applicable to other health disciplines for use. This textbook explores pharmacological concepts by showing the connections between pathophysiology, pharmacological principles, and common medication classes. This textbook also provides learning tools to improve the students retention with quizzes, videos, concept maps, drug cards, and is organized using a concept-based teaching approach.
Formats: Pressbooks webbook, EPUB, PDF, XHTML, Pressbooks XML, Common Cartridge (Web Links)
Includes: 30 H5P activities
A Guide to Numeracy in Nursing
Author: Julia Langham (Selkirk College)
Year: 2023
Licence: CC BY 4.0
Description: A Guide to Numeracy in Nursing is a workbook for learning how to use and understand numbers in a nursing context. Chapters include subjects of basic math skills, unit conversions, medication math, interpreting lab values, and introductory statistics. Within each chapter, there is a main lesson followed by sample exercises and sets of practice questions.
Formats: Pressbooks webbook, EPUB, and PDF
Includes: glossary, H5P activities
Gynecological Assessment
Author(s): Katherine Trip and Jean Wilson (University of Toronto)
Year: 2022
Licence: CC BY-NC 4.0
Description: Health professional programs such as nursing and medicine have historically had difficulty securing assessment experiences such as gynecological examinations. Decreased availability of preceptors and increased transitions to virtual care has recently made learning associated with this important topic even more difficult to obtain. To help better prepare health care providers, we have developed four online gynecological assessment learning modules in combination with virtual knowledge checks that will help articulate an approach, demonstrate techniques of examination, identify and diagnose disorders, and develop an evidence-based plan.
Format: Pressbooks webbook
Health Assessment Guide for Nurses
Author(s): Ching-Chuen Feng, Michelle Agostini, and Raquel Bertiz (Montgomery College)
Year: 2021
Licence: CC BY 4.0
Description: Every nurse should competently perform health assessment. This competency involves a set of knowledge, skills and values. This guide is organized around information that prepares the student to perform health assessment while integrating knowledge of nursing, communication and the sciences. This resource will also serve as a guide to nurses providing patient care in various clinical settings. This guide utilizes various open educational resources, research and literature. It is also the authors’ intent for this open educational resource to be shared, modified and further improved by educators, students, nurses and various users.
Formats: Pressbooks webbook and H5P
Health Case Studies: Toward Closing the Healthcare Communication Gap
Author(s): Glynda Rees, Rob Kruger, and Janet Morrison (British Columbia Institute of Technology)
Year: 2017, updated 2021
Licence: CC BY-SA 4.0
Description: Health Case Studies is composed of eight separate health case studies. Each case study includes the patient narrative or story that models the best practice (at the time of publishing) in healthcare settings. Associated with each case is a set of specific learning objectives to support learning and facilitate educational strategies and evaluation.
The case studies can be used online in a learning management system, in a classroom discussion, in a printed course pack or as part of a textbook created by the instructor. This flexibility is intentional and allows the educator to choose how best to convey the concepts presented in each case to the learner.
Because these case studies were primarily developed for an electronic healthcare system, they are based predominantly in an acute healthcare setting. Educators can augment each case study to include primary healthcare settings, outpatient clinics, assisted living environments, and other contexts as relevant.
Formats: Pressbooks webbook, EPUB, PDF, MOBI, and more
Health History Interview – Virtual Gaming Simulation
Author(s): Jennifer Lapum, Michelle Hughes, Joy Garmaise-Yee, Sara Richie, Sherry Espin, Don Rose, Susana Neves-Silva, Oona St-Amant, and Anneke Rummens (Toronto Metropolitan University)
Year: 2020
Licence: CC BY-NC 4.0
Description: This virtual gaming simulation is focused on performing a health history interview with a client moving into a retirement home for a three-week stay. As you play the game, you will be asked questions and you will need to choose the next best action to be taken. When you choose correctly, the video will continue to play on to the next decision point. If you choose the incorrect or not the best answer, you will receive feedback asking you to reflect on the answer you chose. You will then be given another opportunity to try again and choose the correct action that should be taken.
Format: Pressbooks webbook
Infection Prevention and Control Practices
Author(s): Michelle Hughes and Kendra Allen (Centennial College)
Year: 2020
Licence: CC BY 4.0
Description: The Infection Prevention and Control Practices learning activities is an open-access resource that was developed to complement infection prevention and control practice content learned in academia and clinical environments. The intended audience is novice healthcare students in undergraduate programs. Healthcare practitioners currently practicing may also find this resource valuable as a review on content and skills.
Formats: Pressbooks webbook and PDF
Interpreting Canada’s 2019 Food Guide and Food Labelling for Health Professionals
Author(s): Jennifer Lapum, Oona St. Amant, Wendy Garcia, Lisa Seto Nielsen, and Rezwana Rahman (Toronto Metropolitan University)
Year: 2020
Licence: CC BY-NC-SA 4.0
Description: This textbook provides the novice learner with a foundational understanding of Canada’s 2019 Food Guide and Food Labelling. It highlights important considerations for future health professionals seeking to adopt the new food guide into their practice, including strategies towards healthy eating. This open textbook underscores a relational inquiry approach to inform discussions with clients about nutrition and healthy eating.
Formats: Pressbooks webbook, EPUB, PDF, MOBI, and more
An Introduction to Anti-Racism for the Nursing Professional: A Focus on Anti-Black Racism
Author: Nadia Prendergast (Toronto Metropolitan University)
Year: 2023
Licence: CC BY-NC 4.0
Description: The resource includes four chapters. The first chapter focuses on providing a context to racism, anti-Black racism, the link between racism and intersectionality, and racism, health, and healthcare. The second chapter focuses on what it means to be Black. The third chapter focuses on the invisibility of Black nurses, and highlights Black, Indigenous, Asian, and racialized nurse leaders. The final chapter focuses on anti-racism and nursing communication.
Formats: Pressbooks webbook, EPUB, and PDF
Introduction to Communication in Nursing
Edited by Jennifer Lapum, Oona St-Amant, Michelle Hughes, and Joy Garmaise-Yee (Toronto Metropolitan University)
Year: 2020
Licence: CC BY-NC 4.0
Description: This open-access textbook is intended to guide best practices in communication in the context of the nursing profession. The resource addresses communication theory, therapeutic communication and interviewing, and interprofessional communication as it relates to nursing. This resource is designed for students in undergraduate nursing programs.
Formats: Pressbooks webbook, EPUB, PDF, and MOBI
Leadership and Influencing Change in Nursing
Edited by Joan Wagner (University of Regina)
Year: 2018
Licence: CC BY 4.0
Description: Leadership and Influencing Change in Nursing is designed for a single-semester introduction to the professional nurse’s leadership role as both a care provider and a formal leader. An assortment of authors with diverse nursing leadership roles across Saskatchewan and Canada have contributed to this textbook. These diverse voices are focused on providing student nurses with the foundational tools, techniques, and knowledge required to empower them to meet the leadership challenges found within the incessantly changing Canadian health care environment.
Format: Pressbooks webbook
Leadership for Nurses in Clinical Settings
Edited by Kirsten Woodend (Trent University), Manon Lemonde (Ontario Tech University), Janet McCabe (Ontario Tech University), and Catherine Thibeault (Trent University)
Year: 2022
Licence: CC BY-NC-SA 4.0
Description: This is a 12-module graduate-level course to prepare nurses who are thinking of taking on leadership roles and for those who are already in those roles and would like to learn more about clinical nursing leadership and management.
Format: Pressbooks webbook
LGBTQ+ Healthcare: Your Guide to Building an Inclusive Practice
Author(s): Selinda Berg, Scott Cowan, and Ashlyne O’Neil (University of Windsor)
Year: 2022
Licence: CC BY-NC-SA 4.0
Description: The LGBTQ+ community is diverse. While L, G, B, T, and Q are usually tied together as a single homogeneous entity, each letter represents a wide range of people of different races, ethnicities, ages, socioeconomic statuses and identities (National LGBT Health Education Centre, 2019). Unfortunately, experiences of stigma and discrimination are a common theme that transcends across the entire LGBTQ+ community. While discrimination exists across the community, the manifestations of oppression and discrimination are not a singular occurrence or experience. One area in which there is a long history of discrimination and lack of awareness is within the health care sector.
Formats: Pressbooks webbook, EPUB, and PDF
Includes: Cases, glossary, and interactive exercises
Literature Reviews for Education and Nursing Graduate Students
Author(s): Linda Frederiksen and Sue F. Phelps (Washington State University Vancouver)
Year: 2017
Licence: CC BY 4.0
Description: This open textbook is designed for students in graduate-level nursing and education programs. From developing a research question to locating and evaluating sources to writing a sample literature review using appropriate publication guidelines, readers will be guided through the process.
Formats: Pressbooks webbook, EPUB, PDF, MOBI, and more
Reviews: Open Textbook Library – BCcampus
A Long Goodbye: Ed and Mary’s Journey with Lewy Body Dementia
Author(s): Adele Baldwin, Stephen Anderson, Michael Inskip, Kellie Johns, David Lindsay, Bronwyn Mathiesen, and Marie Bodak (James Cook University)
Year: 2021
Licence: CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 (Note: assigning sections is permitted, but adaptations are not allowed without permission)
Description: This book, built around Ed’s journal, chronicles Ed’s experiences as a carer following his wife Mary’s diagnosis with Lewy body dementia. Students and experienced health professionals are rarely afforded such an insight into how their words and actions are interpreted by, and impact upon patients, families and friends. Ed’s Story provides information and education resources related to dementia care. Although specifically focusing on Lewy body dementia, the resources are transferable to caring for people with any type of dementia. The freely available resources are suitable for use by students in the health professions, educators, formal and informal carers.
Formats: Pressbooks webbook, EPUB, and PDF
Maternity Series
Author(s): Centennial College, George Brown College, Toronto Metropolitan University, and Scarborough Health Network
Licence: CC BY-NC 4.0
Description: The Maternity Series is an open educational resource (OER) containing four units and three simulation games (“games”) on the essentials of maternal and newborn nursing assessment and care: Prenatal Nursing Care, Labour and Delivery Nursing Care, Postpartum Nursing Care, and Newborn Care.
Learners can test their retention of knowledge from each unit by practicing their skills in a safe environment by playing a simulation game. (Note: The game for the Postpartum and Newborn units are combined into one game).
Note: Prenatal Nursing Care, Labour and Delivery Nursing Care, and Postpartum Nursing Care games are also available in French.
Format: Online
Medical Terminology: An Interactive Approach
Author(s): Kendra Anspaugh, Sarah Goncalves, Emily Jackson-Osagie, Sandra Q. Smith
Editor(s): Kendra Anspaugh, Sandra Q. Smith
Licence: CC BY
Year: 2022
Description:
This textbook is designed to teach medical terminology, the language of medicine, in an engaging and meaningful way. Learning medical terminology will allow the learner to more easily understand the language of medicine and utilize this knowledge throughout their academic and medical-based career. While learning medical terms in this course, the learner will also learn basic anatomy and physiology, as well as basic diseases and professions dealing with each body system.
Chapters 1-3 introduce the learner to the way that word parts are put together and other relevant terminology. Chapters 4-17 review separate body systems and provide a brief overview of the anatomy and physiology of the system followed by word list sections. The body system chapters begin with a short video that will introduce the learner to the system. On some occasions, these videos are placed further in the chapter. Chapters also contain words in bold that are meant to catch the reader’s eye, letting them know this is a new important term. Many of these words are mentioned later in the chapter as well. Each chapter concludes with a set of references used to create the chapter and a practice section containing interactive elements and practice exercises. The combination of word lists and their definitions with interactive content and real-world scenarios will aid the learner to understand, retain, and utilize the information within flashcards with audio options, images, drag-and-drop exercises, and more.
Formats: Pressbooks webbook, EPUB, PDF
Includes: 123 H5P activities
Medical Terminology
Author(s): Karen Hobbs, Jerry Casteel
Licence: CC BY
Year: 2024
Description: Medical Terminology is an OER (open educational resource) that focuses on breaking down medical terms into their word parts, pronouncing medical terms, and learning the meaning of medical terms. This resource is targeted for nursing students entering the first semester block of their college programs.
Formats: Pressbooks Webbook
Includes: 207 H5P activities
Medical Terminology for Healthcare Professions
Author(s): Andrea Nelson, Katherine Greene
Licence: CC BY
Year: 2025
Description: Medical Terminology for Healthcare Professions is an Open Educational Resource (OER) that focuses on breaking down, pronouncing, and learning the meaning of medical terms within the context of anatomy and physiology. This resource is targeted for Healthcare Administration, Health Sciences, and Pre-Professional students.
Formats: Pressbooks webbook, EPUB,PDF
Includes: 127 H5P activities
Multi-Course Case Studies in Health Sciences
Author(s): Laura Banks, Brenda Barth, Robert Balogh, Adam Cole, Mika Nonoyama, Elita Partosoedarso and Otto Sanchez (Ontario Tech University)
Year: 2021
Licence: CC BY-NC-SA 4.0
Description: Series of ten (10) interconnected, multidisciplinary cases exploring health and disease across the lifespan in an extended family living in Canada. These cases have been designed for use in multiple undergraduate courses to facilitate scaffolding of student knowledge with increasingly complex case analyses. This novel approach may enable students to apply critical knowledge from a biological, behavioural and sociological perspective into unified clinical situations. As students review the cases, several perspectives should be considered, including: biological, behavioural and sociological.
Formats: Pressbooks webbook, EPUB, PDF, and more
Northern and Indigenous Health and Healthcare
Author(s): Heather Exner-Pirot, Bente Norbye, and Lorna Butler (University of Saskatchewan)
Year: 2020
Licence: CC BY-NC 4.0
Description: The provision of northern health care entails many unique challenges and circumstances that are rarely represented in mainstream health sciences education. This OpenEd Resource provides accessible content on health and health care from a northern perspective for the growing number of health professionals being educated in northern communities.
Formats: Pressbooks webbook, EPUB, PDF, MOBI, and more
Nursing Care at the End of Life: What Every Clinician Should Know
Author: Susan E. Lowey (SUNY Brockport)
Year: 2015
Licence: CC BY-NC-SA 4.0
Description: Nursing Care at the End of Life: What Every Clinician Should Know addresses an essential component of the basic educational preparation for the professional registered nurse student. Recent studies show that only one in four nurses feel confident in caring for dying patients and their families and less than 2% of overall content in nursing textbooks are related to end-of-life care. Despite the tremendous growth in palliative and end-of-life care programs across the country, very few nursing education programs provide adequate education on this topic for future nurses. The purpose of this textbook is to provide an in-depth look at death and dying in this country and explore the vital role of the nurse in assisting patients and families along the journey towards the end of life. There is an emphasis throughout the book on the simple, yet understated value of effective interpersonal communication between the patient and clinician. The text provides a basic foundation for understanding death and dying, including a brief historical examination of some main conceptual models associated with how patients cope with impending loss. An overview of illness trajectories and models of care, such as hospice and palliative care, are discussed. Lastly, the latest evidence-based approaches for pain and symptom management, ethical concerns, cultural considerations, care at the time of death, and bereavement are examined. The goal of this text is to foster the necessary skills for nurses to provide compassionate care to individuals who are nearing the end of life and families who are experiencing the loss of a loved one. Every chapter contains a “What You Should Know” section which highlights and reinforces the main message nurses should know when caring for their patient.
Formats: Pressbooks webbook, EPUB and PDF
Reviews: BCcampus – Open Textbook Library – eCampusOntario Open Library
Nursing Virtual Case Studies
Author(s): Adrianna D’Ilio and Amanda Egert (British Columbia Institute of Technology)
Year: 2023
Licence: CC BY 4.0
Description: These learner-paced, interactive virtual branching case studies aim to help learners develop their noticing and clinical judgment skills. Each case study is designed to work with a specific level of learner (novice to advanced) and uses a variety of resources to help learners prepare for the experience and reflect on their actions. Concepts of patient-centered care, communication, safety and health and illness are used to demonstrate how care is provided in a variety of health care settings across the lifespan (community and acute care).
Formats: Pressbooks webbook and H5P
OPEN RN
Project aiming to create five open textbooks in nursing and 25 virtual reality scenarios. Led by Chippewa Valley Technical College, part of the Wisconsin Technical College System (WTCS) consortium.
Among the resources available:
Open RN | Medical Terminology – 2e
Author(s): Ernstmeyer & Christman – Open Resources for Nursing (Open RN), Ernstmeyer & Christman – Open Resources for Nursing (Open RN)
Editor(s): Kimberly Ernstmeyer, MSN, RN, CNE, CHSE, APNP-BC, Elizabeth Christman, DNP, RN, CNE
Licence: CC BY
Year: 2024
Description: This textbook is an open educational resource (OER) with CC-BY 4.0 licensing. It is aligned with the course competencies of Wisconsin Technical College System’s Medical Terminology course (10-501-101). This book was written by subject matter experts and is based on reliable scholarly research and evidence. It has been carefully peer reviewed to ensure its accuracy and quality. The content was developed without relying on large language models or AI tools, ensuring that the information is grounded in expert analysis and trusted sources. The Medical Terminology course focuses on learning the components of medical terms, including prefixes, suffixes, and word roots, and also introduces students to diagnostic, therapeutic, surgical, and symptomatic terminology of all body systems.
Formats: Pressbooks webbook, EPUB, PDF, XHTML, Pressbooks XML, WordPress XML
Includes: 208 H5P activities
Nursing Fundamentals
Author(s): Kimberly Ernstmeyer and Elizabeth Christman (Chippewa Valley Technical College)
Year: 2020
Licence: CC BY 4.0
Description: This book introduces the entry-level nursing student to the scope of nursing practice, various communication techniques, and caring for diverse patients. The nursing process is used as a framework for providing patient care based on the following nursing concepts: safety, oxygenation, comfort, spiritual well-being, grief and loss, sleep and rest, mobility, nutrition, fluid and electrolyte imbalance, and elimination. Care for patients with integumentary disorders and cognitive or sensory impairments is also discussed. Learning activities have been incorporated into each chapter to encourage students to use critical thinking while applying content to patient care situations.
Formats: Pressbooks webbook, EPUB, PDF, and more
Reviews: Open Textbook Library
Nursing Management and Professional Concepts
Author: Chippewa Valley Technical College
Year: 2022
Licence: CC BY 4.0
Description: This book introduces concepts related to nursing leadership and management, prioritization strategies, delegation and supervision, legal implications of nursing practice, ethical nursing practice, collaboration within the interprofessional team, health care economics, quality and evidence-based practice, advocacy, preparation for the RN role, and the avoidance of burnout with self-care. Several online, interactive learning activities are included in each chapter that encourage application of content to patient-care situations. Additionally, the Appendix includes a “suite of patients” with suggested prompts for classroom discussion to assist students in applying concepts from the book to real patient-care situations.
Formats: Pressbooks webbook, EPUB, and PDF
Reviews: Open Textbook Library
Nursing: Mental Health and Community Concepts
Author: Chippewa Valley Technical College
Year: 2022
Licence: CC BY 4.0
Description: This textbook is an open educational resource with CC-BY licensing developed specifically for prelicensure nursing students. Mental health and community health concepts are discussed while emphasizing stress management techniques, healthy coping strategies, referrals to community resources, and other preventative interventions. Nursing care for individuals with specific mental health and substance use disorders is examined, and the nurse’s role in community health needs assessments and caring for vulnerable populations is introduced.
Formats: Pressbooks webbook and PDF
Reviews: Open Textbook Library
Nursing Pharmacology
Author: Chippewa Valley Technical College
Year: 2020
Licence: CC BY 4.0
Description: This open-access Nursing Pharmacology textbook is designed for entry-level undergraduate nursing students. It explains basic concepts of pharmacology and describes common medication classes. This book is not intended to be used as a drug reference book, but direct links are provided to DailyMed, which provides trustworthy information about marketed drugs in the United States.
Formats: Pressbooks webbook, EPUB, and PDF
Reviews: Open Textbook Library
Nursing Skills
Author(s): Kimberly Ernstmeyer and Elizabeth Christman (Chippewa Valley Technical College)
Year: 2020
Licence: CC BY 4.0
Description: This open-access Nursing Skills textbook includes physical assessments routinely performed by entry-level registered nurses and basic nursing skills performed by licensed practical nurses.
Formats: Pressbooks webbook, EPUB, and PDF
Reviews: Open Textbook Library
Post-Op Pediatric Clinical Simulation
Author(s): Centennial College, George Brown College, and Toronto Metropolitan University
Licence: CC BY-NC 4.0
The Post-Op Pediatric Clinical Simulation Game is an open educational resource (OER) containing a simulation game on the essentials of pediatric post-operative care.
Learners can test their knowledge related to post-operative care of a pediatric patient and practice their skills by playing the virtual gaming simulation. The game replicates real-life clinical situations whereby learners have unlimited attempts to practice their skills.
Learners will collect assessment data, choose from a variety of interventions, and experience the consequences of their decisions in a safe environment.
Throughout the game, feedback and rationales are provided to enhance learning. Furthermore, at the end of the game, learners are provided with a summary statement that synthesizes their clinical decisions and offers the basis for forming an individualized learning plan. For optimal learning, a debrief should be conducted after the game. The debrief can consist of a written self-debrief, a facilitated synchronous virtual debrief, or an in-person debrief.
Learners: The Post-Op Pediatric Clinical Simulation Game is tailored for undergraduate-level nursing students. Other learners who can benefit from this resource include: nurses preparing for their certification exam, practicing nurses who would like to review these skills, and healthcare providers involved in pediatric or post-operative care.
Instructors: This resource is a learning tool to facilitate and promote the application of knowledge related to pediatric post-operative nursing care. It can be used as an in-class activity or an individual student assignment. It is important to review the learning outcomes to ensure students have the foundational knowledge to play the game. A pre-brief related to the content and the game is an important aspect of preparing the student for playing the game. It is important to include a debrief after the game is completed to optimize the learning.
Format: Online
Safe Pharmacy Simulation
Author(s): Pat Marten-Daniel, Paula Mastrilli, Darshnee Ramnaraign, and Sheila Mae Sia (George Brown College)
Year: 2020
Licence: CC BY 4.0
Description: The Safe Pharmacy Simulation game is an open educational resource (OER) developed by a team of interprofessional educators to promote employment integration of internationally educated health professionals by building their work readiness skills. It provides learners of any profession working in a medication dispensing setting with opportunities to develop and apply safety-focused best practices for processing and dispensing medications.
Game players are invited to make decisions in a realistic work situation and encouraged to try different approaches. Feedback is provided to promote analysis of players’ actions and decisions. Players are encouraged to self-reflect and debrief at the end of the game to further enhance their learning. This resource is also available in French.
Formats: Pressbooks webbook and H5P
The Scholarship of Writing in Nursing Education: 1st Canadian Education
Author(s): Jennifer Lapum, Oona St-Amant, Michelle Hughes, Andy Tan, Arina Bogdan, Frances Dimaranan, Rachel Frantzke, and Nada Savicevic (Toronto Metropolitan University)
Year: 2019
Licence: CC BY-SA 4.0
Description: This open-access textbook is intended to guide best practices in the journey of scholarly writing in the context of the nursing profession. This resource is designed for students in undergraduate nursing programs and may also be useful for students in other health-related post-secondary programs, graduate students, and healthcare providers.
Formats: Pressbooks webbook, PDF, MOBI, and EPUB
Supporting Individuals with Intellectual Disabilities and Mental Illness
Author(s): Sherri Melrose, Debra Dusome, John Simpson, Cheryl Crocker, and Elizabeth Athens (Athabasca University)
Year: 2015
Licence: CC BY 4.0
Description: This multidisciplinary resource develops topics of interest to all those who care about and for individuals with co-occurring intellectual disabilities and mental illness. Each chapter presents current evidence-informed practice knowledge. Each topic is also presented with audio-enabled text boxes emphasizing ‘Key Points for Caregivers.’ For those who are interested in background knowledge, we provided the comprehensive literature base. And, for those interested mainly in ‘what to do,’ we provided text box summaries for reading and listening.
Formats: Pressbooks webbook, EPUB, PDF, MOBI, and more
Reviews: BCcampus – Open Textbook Library – eCampusOntario Open Library
Therapeutic Communication for Health Care Administrators
Author(s): Kimberlee Carter (Conestoga College), Marie Rutherford (Georgian College), and Connie Stevens (Sheridan College)
Year: 2022
Licence: CC BY-NC-SA 4.0
Description: These resources are intended for learners preparing for positions in front-line health care settings. Recognizing the diverse titles for these types of roles, we intend that the title Health Care Administrator is an umbrella term that includes all types of front-line Health Care Administrators. This OER is intended to be used with the companion resource Therapeutic Communications for Health Care Administrators Game Simulations.
Health Care Administrators are often the first point of contact for clients and their families and often are the liaison between the health care providers, and the client; thus, therapeutic communication is an essential competency. An environmental scan was sent to industry partners and colleagues in the Ontario higher education system in Spring 2020. Based on those results, it was identified that many existing resources do not address the communication skills of the health care administrator role. The digital text and companion game simulations address the gaps while also providing essential digital resources that can be used in remote, hybrid, or face-to-face delivery formats.
Format: Pressbooks webbook
Therapeutic Communication for Health Care Administrators Game Simulations
Author(s): Kimberlee Carter (Conestoga College), Marie Rutherford (Georgian College), and Connie Stevens (Sheridan College)
Year: 2022
Licence: CC BY-NC-SA 4.0
Description: These resources are intended for learners preparing for positions in front-line health care settings. Recognizing the diverse titles for these types of roles, we intend that the title Health Care Administrator is an umbrella term that includes all types of front-line Health Care Administrators. These OER are intended to be used as companion resources to, the digital text Health Care Communication for Health Care Administrators.
Health Care Administrators are often the first point of contact for clients and their families and often are the liaison between the health care providers, and the client; thus, therapeutic communication is an essential competency. An environmental scan was sent to industry partners and colleagues in the Ontario higher education system in Spring 2020. Based on those results, it was identified that many existing resources do not address the communication skills of the health care administrator role. The game simulations and associated digital text address the gaps while also providing essential digital resources that can be used in remote, hybrid, or face-to-face delivery formats.
Format: Pressbooks webbook
Toward a Moral Horizon: Nursing Ethics for Leadership and Practice – Third Edition
Author(s): Rosalie Starzomski, Janet L. Storch, and Patricia Rodney (University of Victoria)
Year: 2023
Licence: CC BY-NC-SA 4.0
Description: This third edition of Toward a Moral Horizon: Nursing Ethics for Leadership and Practice will assist nurses and all health care providers to take up the challenge of embedding ethics in health care practice, education, research, and policy at all levels—from local to regional to global.
Format: PDF
Includes: videos
Vaccine Practice for Health Professionals – 1st Canadian Edition
Author(s): Oona St-Amant, Jennifer Lapum, and Vinita Dubey (Toronto Metropolitan University)
Year: 2020
Licence: CC BY-SA 4.0
Description: This open-access textbook is intended to guide best practices in vaccine delivery in Canada. This resource is designed for students in post-secondary health profession programs, including nursing. It may also be useful for graduate students and healthcare providers. This textbook provides information related to clinical practice, including the administration of vaccine, and communication with clients.
Format: Pressbooks webbook
Virtual Healthcare Experience
Author(s): Centennial College, George Brown College, Toronto Metropolitan University, and The Chang School
Licence: CC BY-NC 4.0
Description: Collection of simulation games covering the following areas of healthcare: Emergency, Gerontology, Pediatrics, Medical-Surgical, Maternal and Child, and Mental Health.
Format: Online
Vital Sign Measurement Across the Lifespan – 2nd Canadian Edition
Author(s): Jennifer L. Lapum, Margaret Verkuyl, Wendy Garcia, Oona St-Amant, and Andy Tan (Toronto Metropolitan University)
Year: 2021
Licence: CC BY 4.0
Description: The purpose of this textbook is to help learners develop best practices in vital sign measurement. Using a multi-media and interactive approach, it will provide opportunities to read about, observe, practice, and test vital sign measurement.
Formats: Pressbooks webbook, EPUB, PDF, and MOBI
Reviews: BCcampus
Nursing Assistant
Caregiving for the Human Condition; an OER for Nursing Assistant Instruction
Author(s): Illinois Central College
Licence: CC BY
Year: 2023
Description: Welcome to Caregiving for the Human Condition, an Open Educational Resource (OER) for nursing assistant training. Congratulations on taking this next step in your professional life as a caregiver. Whether you want to be a career nursing assistant or use this as a stepping-off point for further credentials, Illinois (and the rest of the world) is lucky to have dedicated, caring individuals like you who want to make a career out of helping people become and stay well.
Formats: Pressbooks Webbook
Includes: 71 H5P activities
Nursing Assistant
Author(s): Myra Sandquist Reuter, MA, BSN, RN – Open Resources for Nursing (Open RN)
Editor(s): Kimberly Ernstmeyer, MSN, RN, CNE, CHSE, APNP-BC, Elizabeth Christman, DNP, RN, CNE
Licence: CC BY
Year: 2023
Description: This textbook is an open educational resource (OER) with CC-BY licensing aligned with Wisconsin Technical College System’s Nursing Assistant program (30-543-300). The Nursing Assistant program prepares students for employment as nursing assistants as well as for entry to other health-related programs. It is recognized by the Wisconsin Department of Health Services as a nurse aide training program. Upon successful completion of a Nursing Assistant program, the student is eligible to take the Wisconsin Nursing Assistant competency evaluation for inclusion on the Wisconsin Nurse Aide Registry and employment in nursing homes, hospitals, home health agencies, hospices, community based residential facilities, assisted living centers, and homes for the developmentally disabled.
Formats: Pressbooks webbook, EPUB, PDF, XHTML, Pressboks XML, WordPress XML
Includes: 72 H5P activities
Personal Care Assistant
Author(s): Jacquelyn McKnight
Licence: CC BY-NC-SA
Year: 2024
Description: This open educational resource was written for individuals who are providing personal care to clients or loved ones in a long-term care centre or home-care setting. This resource is divided into six separate “books” that correspond to the six micro-credential courses in the Personal Care Assistant programs that are offered by Sault College or Cambrian College.
Formats: Pressbooks webbook
Includes: 41 H5P activities
Personal Care Skills for Health Care Assistants – 2nd Edition
Author(s): Tracy M. Christianson, RN, BSN, MN, DHEd, CCNE, Kimberley Morris, RN, BN, MN
Editor(s): Danielle Collins, Barbara Johnston
Licence: CC BY-NC-SA
Year: 2023
Description: The OER is founded on best-practices related to the competencies and skills for health care assistant (HCA) students, specifically in HCA programs following the British Columbia Provincial curriculum – Health Care Assistant Program Provincial Curriculum 2023. However, the content covered within this textbook can be applied to most HCA program curriculum and offers students the opportunity to acquire personal care and assistance skills within the parameters of the HCA role. The content helps the student learn the theoretical principles and concepts along with understanding the steps of practical skills required to maintain and promote the comfort, safety and independence of individuals in community and facility contexts.
Formats: Pressbooks weebbook, EPUB, PDF, XHTML, Pressbooks XML, WordPress XML, Common Cartridge (Web Links)
Includes: 41 H5P activities
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