The Nursing Associate programme is a full-time 24-month undergraduate foundation degree programme. This programme is available as both an on-campus and online programme. The curriculum is mapped to the NMC Standards of Proficiency for Nursing Associates (2018) and Apprenticeship Standard for Nursing Associate (Institute for Apprenticeships, 2018).
What is a nursing associate?
Nursing Associates bridge the gap between healthcare assistants/ support workers and Registered Nurses, by complementing the care provided by both. The role also offers career progression opportunities for existing NHS staff and contributes to the integration and workforce transformation agenda. Upon successful completion of a Foundation Degree (FdSc) Nursing Associate programme, students are eligible to apply for registration with the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC).
Who is the apprenticeship for?
Entrants can come from a wide variety of backgrounds reflecting the breadth of the health and social care workforce. The programme supports Student Nursing Associates to develop the specific knowledge, skills and behaviours required for the role. The programme has been developed to reflect key policies shaping the Nursing Associate workforce, the NHS, health and social care sectors today and the skills and attributes needed within the workforce to deliver care with compassion, and to ensure the best outcomes for patients and service users.
Online programmes offer both variety and flexibility and ensure that the learning and assessment activities are relevant and of value to student's future professional practice whilst remaining compliant with the NMC Standards of Proficiency for Nursing Associated (2018) and Apprenticeship Standard for Nursing Associate (Institute for Apprenticeships, 2018).
Online programmes follow a trimester study pattern, with each trimester 17 weeks in length.
Each trimester is structured as follows:
- Weeks 1-10: Structured tutor-supported learning through online activity-based study materials, webinar-based tutor-led learning, group discussions and protected theory weeks
- Week 11: Assessment week and assignment submission
- Week 12-17: Consolidation and learning activities
Study can be taken flexibly during teaching weeks, however attendance at live sessions is compulsory.
You will be assessed by a Practice Assessor, a Practice Supervisor and an Academic Assessor throughout the programme. The level of supervision may be high at first, but is expected to decrease throughout the programme as students gain knowledge, skills and independence. Supervision will remain an ongoing requirement until qualification and registration.
Practice learning
Practice learning equates to 50% of the overall programme in line with the NMC standards framework (NMC, 2023).
Students must complete at least 1150 hours of practice learning to support the application of theory to practice, and this consists of protected learning time in the normal place of work and placement externally to the normal place of work.
Placements
Placements must be for a minimum of 460 hours over the two years (20% of the programme hours) and may take place within the organisation or outside of the organisation. Placements should be chosen to enable them to develop the breadth of experience required for a generic role and allow students to become aware of the breadth of factors associated with providing care to different types of service user.
Placements are principally employer-organised, although accountability remains with the University. The University will work with host organisations to ensure students get the placement experiences they need. All placement environments are required to be audited for placements lasting two weeks or longer.
Where suitable opportunities exist within your region, you may collaborate with local employers and your training provider to arrange reciprocal placements. This may include transferring between SNA base areas to support the completion of external placement hours, ensuring that when your learner is on placement, an equivalent learner is hosted in their place.
Employers
The cost of the apprenticeship will normally be in line with the funding band of £15,000, but individual agreements will be considered depending on student numbers and the involvement of employers.
Apprentices
Fees will be paid by your employer with government-funded support or through the apprenticeship levy.
Additional costs and optional extras
After achieving this Nursing Associate Apprenticeship, you will be eligible to register with the Nursing and Midwifery Council as a nursing associate. Once you are on the register, you can apply for nursing associate jobs. According to government data, nursing associates earn on average between £21,730 and £26,282 per year.
If you want to go on to become a Registered Nurse, you can then apply to start our Registered Nurse Degree Apprenticeship in stage two, meaning you could complete that apprenticeship in 18 months.
This Nursing Associate Apprenticeship could also take you into education and mentoring roles. For instance, many NHS trusts employ nursing associates to support others in training, and universities and colleges also employ them to do lecturing and teaching.
To register your interest for the Nursing Associate programme or for more information,
please contact a member of the team using the contact details below:
Business Development: Ben Cope (b.cope@derby.ac.uk)
Additional costs and optional extras
We're committed to providing you with an outstanding learning experience. Our expert teaching, excellent facilities and great employability prepare you for your future career. As part of our commitment to you we aim to keep any additional study costs to a minimum. However, there are occasions where students may incur some additional costs.
Mandatory costs not included in your fees
- Suitable shoes that comply with uniform policy approximately £40
- Travel to and from internal and external placements
- Professional NMC membership required to practice once qualified
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