Field guide · Free CE

Free Opioid Prescribing & Pain Management CE for Nurses.

Federal CDC training plus other free CE that satisfies state opioid CE mandates and counts toward general pain management hours.

8 courses · Last reviewed July 23, 2026

Required CE in 9 jurisdictions

Jump to a state page for the full requirement, hours, and acceptable provider list.

Texas New York Pennsylvania Minnesota Iowa Kentucky Maine Oklahoma Oregon

Certificate only

Showing 8 of 8 courses

A Nurse's Role in Integrated Pain Management
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Nurse-specific federal training on integrated, multimodal pain management and the nurse's role in safe opioid use. Free contact hours via CDC TRAIN.
Free CDC TRAIN account required (course WB4716R).
Varies by courseANCC (CDC jointly accredited; CE via CDC TRAIN)onlineVerified Aug 2026Certificate
Opioid PrescribingPain Management
Assessing and Addressing Opioid Use Disorder (OUD)
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Free federal training on screening for, diagnosing, and managing opioid use disorder, including medications for OUD. Contact hours via CDC TRAIN.
Free CDC TRAIN account required (course WB4664R).
Varies by courseANCC (CDC jointly accredited; CE via CDC TRAIN)onlineVerified Aug 2026Certificate
Opioid PrescribingMental Health
CDC Opioid Prescribing for Chronic Pain Training
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Free, federally produced training on safer opioid prescribing aligned with the 2022 CDC Clinical Practice Guideline. Satisfies state opioid CE mandates in several jurisdictions.
1.5 contact hoursANCC, ACPE, CME (multi-accredited)onlineVerified Aug 2026Certificate
Opioid PrescribingPain Management
Nurse.com Free CE Catalog
Nurse.com
Rotating library of free ANCC-accredited CE designed to satisfy state contact-hour requirements. Topics include human trafficking, dementia care, pain management, mental health.
Free Nurse.com account required.
Varies by courseANCConlineVerified Jun 2026Certificate
Human TraffickingDementia CarePain ManagementMental Health
OPMC Pain Management Education Module
Oregon Pain Management Commission
Oregon’s own free 1-contact-hour pain management module, provided by the Oregon Pain Management Commission. It satisfies the OPMC-specific hour Oregon requires at initial licensure and every 36 months. Oregon also requires six additional pain-management CE hours from an approved provider, which this module does not cover.
Free (no fee); a free account/registration is required to start and download the certificate.
1 contact hourOregon Nurses Association (OPMC-provided; state-required module)onlineVerified Aug 2026CertificateOR only
Pain Management
8-Hour SUD Training (Opioids & Controlled Substances)
PCSS / APNA (SAMHSA-funded)
Free 8-hour training on opioids, controlled substances, and substance use disorders, provided at no cost through SAMHSA funding with ANCC nursing contact hours (via APNA). Satisfies the federal DEA MATE Act 8-hour requirement and provides the responsible controlled-substance and opioid prescribing continuing education that APRN prescribers renew in this state. For nurses with controlled-substance prescriptive authority; each state's exact hour requirement varies and most recur each renewal, so claim the nursing contact-hour credit and confirm your total with your board.
Free (SAMHSA-funded); free account required. For APRN prescribers; a certificate is issued after each course and a final certificate after all eight.
8 contact hoursANCC (nursing contact hours via APNA; SAMHSA-funded)onlineVerified Aug 2026CertificateCO, ME, MS, NC, OK, WY, WI, NE only
Opioid PrescribingControlled SubstancesSubstance Use Disorder
Safe and Effective Pain Care (Louisiana)
Pri-Med
Free 4-contact-hour opioid and pain-care course from Pri-Med, AANP-accredited for nurse practitioners and on the Louisiana State Board of Nursing approved-course list. Satisfies Louisiana's one-time 3-hour controlled-substance prescribing CE required of APRNs at controlled-dangerous-substance licensing (Act 76).
Free (register for free); AANP-accredited (for nurse practitioners); confirm it is on the current LSBN approved list at renewal.
4 contact hoursAANP-accredited (for nurse practitioners); on the LSBN approved-course listonlineVerified Aug 2026CertificateLA only
Opioid PrescribingPain Management
QuizTime Opioid & Controlled-Substance CE (Tennessee)
Vanderbilt CAMHL / ONE Tennessee (TN Dept of Health)
Free continuing education from Vanderbilt's Center for Advancing Mobile Health Learning, in partnership with the Tennessee Department of Health. Its opioid courses meet Tennessee's controlled-substance prescribing CE requirement for licensure, earning up to four CE credits including ANCC nursing contact hours. Delivered through the QuizTime mobile app as one daily question over about a month.
Free; delivered via the QuizTime mobile app (one daily question over about a month). For Tennessee controlled-substance CE.
4 contact hoursANCC (Vanderbilt CAMHL; approved for Tennessee controlled-substance CE)onlineVerified Aug 2026CertificateTN only
Opioid PrescribingControlled Substances

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Frequently asked questions

Does free Opioid Prescribing & Pain Management CE count toward my nursing license renewal?: Yes, when two things are true: the provider is accredited (for example, ANCC-accredited or on your state board's approved-provider list) and the content matches what your renewal requires. Free CE is not worth less than paid CE. Because acceptance rules vary by state, confirm the specifics with your state Board of Nursing before you rely on a course.
Which states require Opioid Prescribing & Pain Management CE?: Opioid Prescribing & Pain Management is a named CE requirement in 9 US jurisdictions: Texas, New York, Pennsylvania, Minnesota, Iowa, Kentucky, Maine, Oklahoma, Oregon. Even where it is not separately mandated, these hours generally count toward your total CE. Open your state page for the exact hours and accepted providers.
How do I know if a specific Opioid Prescribing & Pain Management course will count in my state?: Check that the provider is accredited or on your board's approved list, and that the course covers your state's required content. You can also paste any course into our free course checker to see whether it counts in your state, no account needed.
How many hours of Opioid Prescribing & Pain Management CE do I need?: It varies by state, and in some states by whether you hold prescriptive authority, so there is no single national number. Many states fold opioid prescribing & pain management into a required-topic portion of your total CE rather than adding hours on top. Your state page lists the exact requirement.

Other topics:Human Trafficking Implicit Bias Patient Safety Suicide Prevention & Mental Health Infection Control Dementia & Alzheimer's Care All free CE

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Frequently asked questions

Does free Opioid Prescribing & Pain Management CE count toward my nursing license renewal?

Yes, when two things are true: the provider is accredited (for example, ANCC-accredited or on your state board's approved-provider list) and the content matches what your renewal requires. Free CE is not worth less than paid CE. Because acceptance rules vary by state, confirm the specifics with your state Board of Nursing before you rely on a course.

Which states require Opioid Prescribing & Pain Management CE?

Opioid Prescribing & Pain Management is a named CE requirement in 9 US jurisdictions: Texas, New York, Pennsylvania, Minnesota, Iowa, Kentucky, Maine, Oklahoma, Oregon. Even where it is not separately mandated, these hours generally count toward your total CE. Open your state page for the exact hours and accepted providers.

How do I know if a specific Opioid Prescribing & Pain Management course will count in my state?

Check that the provider is accredited or on your board's approved list, and that the course covers your state's required content. You can also paste any course into our free course checker to see whether it counts in your state, no account needed.

How many hours of Opioid Prescribing & Pain Management CE do I need?

It varies by state, and in some states by whether you hold prescriptive authority, so there is no single national number. Many states fold opioid prescribing & pain management into a required-topic portion of your total CE rather than adding hours on top. Your state page lists the exact requirement.