Nursing Associate

Are you looking to become a nurse but not sure which specialism to choose?

On this foundation degree, you will work across all fields of nursing to register as a nursing associate with the Nursing and Midwifery Council in just two years. This programme is also the perfect stepping stone towards further training to qualify as a Registered Nurse.

You will play a vital role in the nursing team, working closely with healthcare assistants and registered nurses across adult, children's, learning disabilities, and mental health nursing. Our expert tutors will deliver theoretical teaching rooted in the latest evidence and research, and will support you throughout the programme to help you reach your full potential.

On campus, you will immerse yourself in a range of nursing scenarios using our clinical skills and simulation facilities. These include simulated ward areas, high-dependency care areas, home spaces, and our cutting-edge immersive simulation room.

This simulated learning will prepare you for clinical placements, where you will spend half of your degree gaining valuable real-world experience in settings such as hospitals, nursing homes, GP surgeries, and clinics.

Course Overview
Equal value is placed on theory and practice for the duration of the FdSc Nursing Associate programme, so 50% of your time on this course will be spent on placement. You’ll cover all areas of nursing practice (adult, children's, mental health and learning disability) in the NHS as well as private, voluntary and independent sectors. Placement settings will include hospitals, nursing homes, GP surgeries, clinics, and more.

Throughout the length of the course, you will be introduced to essential knowledge that a nursing associate is required to understand to enable the delivery of effective person-centred care, including the ability to research and study independently and work with student colleagues.

At the end of this course, you'll be eligible to register with the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) and practise as a nursing associate. You'll also be able to complete further training through a top-up course or degree apprenticeship to qualify as a nurse.

On this course you will

• Spend 50% of the programme on clinical placement being supervised and assessed by practice staff.

• Learn and work alongside all fields of nursing and the multi-disciplinary team whilst on placement, and recognise the contribution of different health professionals' roles and expertise.

• Develop skills through a range of nursing placements that will be a mixture of hospital and community settings, and through skills teaching and simulated practice.

• Prepare to deliver a wide range of clinical, care and interpersonal skills underpinned by a systematic knowledge base.

• Develop and accomplish the knowledge and skills you need to practise and provide evidenced-based and compassionate care as a registered nursing associate.

What you will learn
You will spend 50% of the programme on clinical placement being supervised and assessed by practice staff. The theoretical input is delivered by expert teaching staff and is based on the latest evidence and research, using a variety of teaching and learning approaches.

The programme will equip you to deliver safe and effective care to the highest standards and ensure you practice with compassion and confidence. You will be taught to deliver a wide range of clinical, care and interpersonal skills underpinned by a systematic knowledge base in diverse settings and with different patient groups.

Year one
The first year of the FdSc Nursing Associate is designed to introduce you to the concepts that underpin nursing associate practice. There are 6 academic modules this year in total, of equal academic weighting of 20 credits. The aim is to introduce you to the concept of holistic healthcare and the importance of effective communication skills, professional and ethical practice, introduction to evidence led care and health and social care policy. The biological sciences module will be supported with practical clinical skills sessions in the simulated ward environment. You will also study principles of nursing practice applied to Nursing Associates. There are two Placement allocations in year one and these are assessed against the NMC proficiencies, and it is mandatory that both these placements are achieved.

• Applied Biological Sciences for Health
  Learn essential knowledge of the fundamental concepts of anatomy and physiology relating to human body systems and applied to clinical practice and decision making.
• Professional Practice & Accountability
  Explore the legal, ethical and professional concepts which inform the complexities of decision making in health & social care practice.
• Developing Evidence-Based Practice
  Develop skills in critical evaluation of the evidence base that informs practice.
• Introduction to Communication & Interpersonal Skills
  Learn a variety of communication, interpersonal and self-awareness skills required to provide culturally appropriate and compassionate nursing care.
• Concepts of Health & Social Policy
  Explore perspectives of biological, psychological, social, cultural, spiritual and behavioural determinants of health and promote person centred wellbeing across the lifespan.
• Introduction to Nursing Associate Practice
  Gain knowledge and understanding of the fundamental principles that inform Nursing Associate Practice.

Year two
The second year of the programme has 6 academic modules of 20 credits each with 2 practice placements. Year two is designed to support your development of knowledge and skills that were delivered in year one. Within this year of study, you will examine principles of pharmacology and medicine management, care of people with long term conditions and chronic health care needs, understanding care needs and the nursing associate as leader. Development of communication skills are threaded throughout the curriculum and the year 2 module introduces the utilisation of therapeutic communication. Empathy towards patients and families is essential and the ‘lived experience module’ provides an insight into how individuals and families experience illness and healthcare.

• Pharmacology and Medicine Therapeutics
  Learn to understand and apply the principles of pharmacology and medicine therapeutics in the management of care.
• Living with Long Term Conditions Across the Lifespan
  Develop an underpinning knowledge relating to the causes, presentation and management of long-term conditions across the lifespan.
• Learning from the Lived Experience
  An opportunity for the analysis and formulation of contextual knowledge through problem-based learning and reflection using narratives of individuals accessing health and social care.
• Communication and Relationship Management in a Therapeutic Context
  Learn to recognise, select and utilise appropriate communication strategies and therapeutic skills.
• Understanding Care Needs
  Develop knowledge, skills and understanding of the holistic assessment and management of the patient.
• The Nursing Associate as Leader
  Develop knowledge, skills and understanding of managing others and leading teams.

The FdSc Nursing Associate Programme utilises a variety of assessment methods. Each module assessment is required to be achieved and the method may be different with each module that you take. You will be assessed through written examinations, coursework assignments and essays, portfolios, oral presentations, and Objective Structured Clinical Examinations (OSCEs).

At the start of each module, you will be given information on the method of assessment and the date for submission. Assignment support and guidance will be given for each module.

Professionally accredited courses provide industry-wide recognition of the quality of your qualification.

• Nursing and Midwifery Council