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Courses Ketamine

Free professional micro-course

Ketamine awareness for frontline practice

Drug and alcohol practitioners, youth workers, health and mental-health staff, safeguarding, housing, education, justice and family-support professionals.

15–20 minutes estimated6 stages + final quiz80% suggested level

No registration. Progress and quiz scores stay on this device where browser storage is available.

Scientific illustration of neural signalling and the kidneys, ureters and bladder for ketamine learning

Learning outcomes

By the end, you should be able to:

  1. 1Describe ketamine as a dissociative drug with legitimate medical uses and explain common patterns of non-medical use.
  2. 2Connect NMDA receptor effects with dissociation, altered perception and impairment.
  3. 3Recognise urinary, renal, abdominal, cognitive and mental-health concerns linked with repeated heavy use.
  4. 4Use a proportionate urinary-symptom pathway and identify when urgent medical assessment is needed.
  5. 5Discuss combinations, environmental risks, young people and safeguarding without stigmatising language.

What this course covers

Six short learning stages

  1. 01
    What ketamine is and how it is used

    Ketamine is a dissociative anaesthetic used legitimately in medicine and also used non-medically. The context, dose pattern and route all shape effect and risk.

  2. 02
    Dissociation, the brain and the body

    Ketamine’s dissociative effects arise primarily through NMDA-type glutamate receptor antagonism, with wider effects across neural and physiological systems.

  3. 03
    Tolerance, dependence and withdrawal-related distress

    Some people move from intermittent use to repeated, high-frequency dosing. Tolerance, craving, health symptoms and using ketamine to relieve distress can reinforce that cycle.

  4. 04
    Urinary, renal, abdominal and mental-health concerns

    Ketamine-induced uropathy is a defining long-term harm. Frontline workers are well placed to ask early, reduce stigma and connect people with rapid clinical assessment.

  5. 05
    Combinations, harm reduction and engagement

    Risk can rise sharply when ketamine-related impairment is combined with other depressants or hazardous environments. Harm reduction should be practical, specific and non-punitive.

  6. 06
    Apply it to practice

    Use the urinary pathway, consider safeguarding and practise a response that is clinically proportionate without drifting outside your role.

Evidence reviewed6 August 2026
Professional boundaryThis course supports awareness and workforce development. It does not replace clinical assessment, safeguarding procedures, organisational policy or medical advice, and it does not qualify someone to practise outside their role.
Evidence sources and further guidance