Open Textbooks (OER)

Open Educational Resources (OER)

This page contains Open Textbooks which are a type of OER. “OER” stands for Open Educational Resource. These resources are available at zero cost and can be used and adapted and without permission.

Check out the Library's OER page for more information.

Clinical Procedures for Safer Patient Care by lynda Rees Doyle, BCIT, Jodie Anita McCutcheon, BCIT
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 practised 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....
Finding Evidence-based Information for Health Sciences Students by Anabella Arcaya; Graham Lavender; and Christine St. Denis
This series of information literacy modules will help post-secondary students in the health sciences (especially Nursing) find and use reliable information for class assignments. It covers the essential steps from developing a topic to searching databases to evaluating resources to writing an academic paper and citing sources in APA style.
Introduction to Communication in Nursing by Edited by Jennifer Lapum; Oona St-Amant; Michelle Hughes; and Joy Garmaise-Yee
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. The project is supported and funded by the Ryerson University Faculty of Community Services Publication Grant.
Introduction to Health Assessment for the Nursing Professional by Ryerson University
This open access textbook was developed as an introductory resource to guide best practices in health assessment in the nursing context. Its intended audience is students in undergraduate nursing students in post-secondary programs.
Medical Terminology by Stacey Grimm; Coleen Allee; Elaine Strachota; Laurie Zielinski; Traci Gotz; Micheal Randolph; and Heidi Belitz
Publication Date: 2022
Medical Terminology is an OER 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 health services students in the first year of their college programs.
Northern and Indigenous Health and Healthcare by Heather Exner-Pirot; Bente Norbye; and Lorna Butler, Univerisity of Saskatchewan
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.
Nursing Skills by Chippewa Valley Technical College
This award-winning, open-access Nursing Skills textbook includes physical assessments routinely performed by entry-level registered nurses and basic nursing skills performed by licensed practical nurses.
Open RN Nursing Fundamentals by Chippewa Valley Technical College
This award-winning Open Access 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...
The Scholarship of Writing in Nursing Education: 1st Canadian Edition by Jennifer Lapum, et al; Ryerson University
Publication Date: 2019
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. The project is supported and funded by the Ryerson University Library OER Grant.

Open RN Virtual Simulations
The following is a virtual scenario designed to immerse you in the daily responsibilities and challenges of a nursing assistant. You will interact with a diverse set of patients, each with unique health conditions and care needs. As you navigate through this case study, you will choose which patients to visit and decide on the most appropriate care strategies. This interactive experience aims to enhance your understanding, improve your skills, and build your confidence in providing quality care.
Open RN OER Textbook Collection
The Open RN project is led by Chippewa Valley Technical College as part of the Wisconsin Technical College System (WTCS) consortium. OER nursing textbooks and virtual simulations are collaboratively developed by faculty based on the WTCS State Nursing curriculum and the current NCLEX-RN Test Plan. Textbooks undergo national peer review by faculty, deans, industry members, and nursing students to ensure the content is accurate and relevant, written in clear language for pre-licensure nursing students, and based on current, evidence-based practices. All Open RN materials have CC-BY 4.0 Creative Commons licensing.

Vital Sign Measurement Across the Lifespan – 2nd Canadian Edition by Jennifer L. Lapum, Margaret Verkuyl, Wendy Garcia, et al.; Ryerson University
The purpose of this textbook is to help learners develop best practices in vital sign measurement. Its intended audience is students in health-related post-secondary programs as well as healthcare providers. Using a multi-media and interactive approach, it will provide opportunities to read about, observe, practice, and test vital sign measurement. This 2nd Canadian Edition includes over 120 H5P activities.

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