Nursing Associate

A Nursing Associate foundation degree prepares you for working in a variety of healthcare settings and supporting registered nurses and healthcare workers in providing care to a range of people.

Study the evidence behind core theories and practically apply them in our simulation centre and on placement.

You’ll learn alongside Nursing students through shared modules and working together on placement and in the Skills and Simulation Centre, where you can put theory into practice in simulated healthcare environments. As a Nursing Associate, you’ll be promoting good health, monitoring care and being an accountable member of the team as you support registered nurses who coordinate and lead in nursing care. To prepare you for these responsibilities, you’ll learn the factors of health and wellbeing throughout the human lifespan, alongside the fundamentals of human anatomy, team working and leadership skills.

Through placements with local NHS trusts and healthcare providers, you’ll benefit from learning from qualified professionals, having a supervisor for additional support and opportunities to network with students from across disciplines within the School of Nursing and Midwifery and beyond.

With a mix of in-person and recorded lectures, independent study, flipped classrooms and practical learning in both the simulation centre and on placement, the course provides an inclusive environment where you’ll be able to learn in the way that best suits you.

At Worcester you’ll also benefit from personalised support from lecturers, your assigned Personal Academic Tutor and Placement Supervisor.

Your Personal Academic Tutor is assigned to you at the start of the course and will support you in your academic progress and career planning. Lecturers will get to know you personally and tailor their guidance to your strengths and learn how to best assist your development on each module.

Placements

Experience a minimum of two placements each year with our excellent NHS trusts and healthcare providers in the region, including:

• Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust

• Herefordshire and Worcestershire Health & Care Trust

• University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust

• The Dudley Group NHS Foundation Trust

• Wye Valley NHS Trust

• Gloucestershire Hospitals NHS Trust

• Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS Trust

Whilst on placement you’ll gain access to additional library resources, be supported by a supervisor, and learn from and network with experienced nurses as you build up your own practical experience.

Accreditation

This course is accredited by the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC), meaning you'll be eligible to register with the NMC as a Nursing Associate.

Why the University of Worcester?

The University of Worcester is a campus university, meaning everything you need is on site. We’re based in a vibrant cathedral city just 40 mins south of Birmingham and an hour north of Bristol, and our beautiful green campuses have plenty of parking and quality on-site accommodation.

At Worcester, small class sizes, supportive tutors, and professionally focused courses mean you’ll be prepared for your dream career. These are just some of the reasons why we’re first in the UK for both graduate employment and quality education.

• University of the Year finalist in the Times Higher Education Awards 2025.

• First in the UK for sustained employment, further study or both, from any multidisciplinary university – Longitudinal Education Outcomes (LEO) 2017 to 2025.

• First in the UK for quality education – Joint 1st in the Times Higher Education’s University Impact Rankings 2025.

Join us at one of our regular Open Days to see if the University is a good fit for you: www.worcester.ac.uk/opendays