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Level 5 Nursing Associate

Key Information

Course Duration

24 months (Excluding EPA)

Start Date

September and February

Level

Level 5

Award

FdSc Nursing Associate

Overview

A nursing associate is a new and vital member of the wider nursing team in England. This standalone role is designed to bridge the gap between health and care assistants and registered nurses.
As a Nursing associate, you can work with people of all ages in a variety of settings in health and social care. You'll be able to contribute to the core work of nursing which will allow registered nurses to focus on more complex clinical care.

Across the course, you can develop your ability to provide and monitor person-centred, safe, and compassionate nursing care by acting in the best interests of all people. You'll also be able to learn how to communicate effectively to promote health and prevent ill health, improving and maintaining the overall health and wellbeing of people, families, carers, and communities. Additionally, you can learn how to contribute to the ongoing assessments of individual, knowing when to refer to others and to improve safety of individuals by identifying risks or experience of care and taking appropriate action.

This programme follows the Nursing associate (NMC 2018) / Institute for Apprenticeships and Technical Education standard (Nursing associate (NMC 2018) / Institute for Apprenticeships and Technical Education). It also follows the Standards of Proficiency for Registered Nursing Associates (NMC 2018) and the Standards for Education and Training (NMC 2023).

How You Learn

This course is designed around a set of key principles based on engaging you with the world, collaborating with others, challenging you to think in new ways, and providing you with a supportive environment in which you can thrive.

You'll be taught by industry experts, with a university tutor and a workplace supervisor/practice educator in a supportive and inclusive environment. We'll also help you to apply your new skills and behaviours to your place of work.

You can learn through a variety of means, including one day per week of applied or blended learning at the University, three days per week undertaking work-based learning, and a protected study day. Your protected study day can take place at the University, at work, or on placement.

Alongside timetabled sessions, there may also be opportunities to take part in skills development sessions, shadowing, workshops, conferences, placement support 'recall' days, and interprofessional learning events.

Practice days are an opportunity for you carry out supervised nursing associate practice in a range of complementary settings, giving you a broad experience of care within the different fields of nursing such as mental health, learning disability, child, and adult.

Modules

The programme adopts a blended-learning approach with modules delivered through a combination of practical placements, lectures, class-based seminars, practical work, and simulated practice.

Module Structure

Year One

  • Developing Self and Caring for the Individual
  • Fundamental Nursing Skills
  • Personal Development and Resilience
  • Nursing and the Interprofessional Team
  • Person-centred Holistic Adult Nursing Care

Year Two

  • Developing Others and Wider Care Engagement
  • Healthcare Sciences
  • Promoting Health and Preventing Ill Health
  • Providing and Evaluating Care
  • Becoming An Accountable Nursing Associate
  • End Point Assessment

Module and assessment information for future years is displayed as currently validated and may be liable to change.

Applied Learning

All years of the course are structured around applied learning. This links your studies to real-world situations within your workplace.

  • Undertake live projects – growing an understanding of research projects
  • Apply your new skills at work - learn from colleagues and complete tasks independently
  • Network with other professionals both within and outside of your organisation

You will progress through the programme following successful achievement of academic assessments, which address the learning outcomes for each module and allow you to complete End Point Assessment.

Entry Requirements

Applications can be from existing employees looking to develop their careers, or new applicants to the employer. Candidates must be employed over 37.5 hours a week as a nursing associate.

Applicants must:

  • be over 18 at the start of the programme
  • not be in full-time education or enrolled on another apprenticeship
  • have the right to abode in the UK
  • be able to achieve the standard by the end of the programme
  • Hold GCSE (or equivalent) Maths and English at level 2 or above (grade 4, or previously C)

Next Steps

If you are an employer:

If you want to offer this apprenticeship to an existing employee or a new recruit and have any questions, get in touch at with programme leader Charli Clapham at cclapham@lincoln.ac.uk.

If you are an applicant:

To apply for this apprenticeship, you must first have a suitable employer who can support your application. We can support you to encourage your employer to offer an apprenticeship. You will then apply for the programme through them.