Nursing Associate (NMC 2018) Apprenticeship

Year One

• Discovering my identity as a Nursing Associate
• Professionalism and public protection for Nursing Associates
• Exploring the evidence base for Nursing Associates
• Developing competence in safe, effective administration and optimisation of medicines for Nursing Associates
• Foundations of practice for Nursing Associates

Year Two

• Developing my Nursing Associate identity towards becoming a registrant
• Applying understanding of Nursing professionalism and protection of the public in Nursing
• Interpreting the evidence base influencing Nursing Associate practice
• Demonstrating competence in the safe, effective administration and optimisation of medicines for Nursing Associates
• Advanced work-based learning for Nursing Associates.

Assessments focus on the apprentice’s ability to produce work in an appropriate style and format and to deliver information to a range of different audiences.

Case study analysis, scenario based exercise, assessment in clinical practice and other group and individual activities take place across the modules. These will assess the apprentice’s critical thinking and problem-solving abilities in a health context and clinical practice.

Apprentices are also prepared to take the EPA on completion of the programme.

Apprentices are taught in blocks of theory and blocks of clinical practice. The taught elements of the programme are delivered through interactive workshops, seminars, clinical skills and simulation enhanced through independent guided study. Typically, apprentices are engaged in learning activities away from their normal place of work for three days per week, with two days remaining within the workplace.

Apprentices learn in clinical practice through planned protected learning within their employment base. University tutors will work with employers to prepare for learning in the workplace that complies with NMC Standards for Student Supervision and Assessment (SSSA).

Apprentices will also have placements in a variety of external placements to complement their employment base. This could be in hospital, community, health or social care settings. Placements will be planned to ensure that the apprentices have experience of working with patients/service users with physical, mental, cognitive and behavioural needs. Apprentices will also have experience of working with adults, children and young people.