Educational aims
Healthcare is increasingly complex and requires a highly qualified workforce. In England, the nursing associate role has been developed in response to workforce needs and acts as a bridge between healthcare support workers and registered nurses within healthcare teams. This foundation degree will help you to develop the knowledge and skills needed to deliver high quality, safe and compassionate care.
During the course, you will experience two placements in alternative settings to your usual workplace, so you will have experience of providing care in hospitals, in settings close to home, and at home.
On successful completion of the course you will be able to register as a nursing associate with the Nursing and Midwifery Council.
Learning outcomes
Knowledge and understanding
On completion of this qualification, you’ll have knowledge and understanding of:
- Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of shared decision making, person centred, personalised and family centred care across the life course.
- Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of anatomy, physiology, pathophysiology of illness and genomics.
- Explain the care needs and associated interventions for mental, cognitive, behavioural and physical health conditions.
- Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of pharmacology, effects of medicines and how medicines are prescribed.
- Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of a range of concepts and theories relating to health, wellbeing and leadership in healthcare.
Cognitive skills
On completion of this qualification, you’ll be able to:
- Source, analyse and appraise a range of evidence that informs nursing associate practice.
- Discuss the role of policy, ethical, legal, social and political concepts in healthcare.
- Apply the principles of safeguarding across the lifespan, in order to identify concerns, assess of vulnerability and risk, and raising concerns through appropriate routes.
Practical and/or professional skills
On completion of this qualification, you’ll be able to:
- Demonstrate competence in a range of clinical skills relating to nursing associate practice.
- Continuously and critically reflect on your practice, acknowledge and act on feedback from others for personal and professional development.
- Provide and monitor person, family centred, and personalised care based on needs across the life course.
- Work safely and effectively in teams, with individuals and families in the context of delivering and improving the quality of integrated care, raising concerns where appropriate.
- Discuss the concept of being a registered professional, and how this impacts on being a capable, effective and safe practitioner.
Key skills
On completion of this qualification, you’ll be able to:
- Make effective use of digital technologies for yourself and others.
- Demonstrate competence in a range of numeracy skills, safe and effective administration of medicines and medicines management.
- Communicate effectively with individuals, teams, peers and service users using a range of appropriate methods.