Massive Open Online Courses in Nursing: A Retrospective Descriptive Study

Aim: Massive open online courses are easily accessible and flexible learning environments that facilitate continuous learning and knowledge updating in nursing education. These courses help nurses enhance their professional competencies and improve patient care by providing access to the latest research and clinical practices. The aim of this study is to examine the characteristics of existing massive open online courses related to nursing. Method: In this retrospective descriptive study, online course websites were searched using the keyword "nursing." The search identified 694 courses on platforms such as Edx (n=12), Udemy (n=268), Coursera (n=64), Alison (n=25), Future Learn (n=57), Class Central (n=189), Mooc List (n=35), My Education Path (n=34), and Skill Share (n=10). Exclusion criteria were applied to eliminate duplicate, courses unrelated to nursing, courses in languages other than English, and expired courses. The final sample consisted of 149 courses. Data were collected between March and June 2023 using a 19-item data collection form and analyzed with IBM SPSS 25. Results: It was found that 55% of the 149 courses scanned were free, 51.7% lasted 1-3 weeks and 71.1% had course syllabuses. Additionally, it was determined that only 8.1% of the courses were accredited, and 79.9% issued certificates to participants who completed them. Training materials were generally presented with the use of multiple materials (57%), and 53% of the courses were organized by universities. The field where the most courses were held was the field of nursing principles (32.9%). Conclusion: The fact that most of the examined massive open online courses are organized by universities, registered, and free of charge can increase accessibility and continuous education opportunities for nurses.