Foundation Degree FDSC NURSING ASSOCIATE (NMC 2018) (APPRENTICESHIP)

Program Overview

The Nursing Associate Apprenticeship is a two-year program that trains individuals for a support role in nursing in England. Combining theoretical and practical learning, it equips graduates with the skills to deliver person-centered care as part of a multidisciplinary team. Upon completion, graduates are eligible for registration with the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) as Nursing Associates. This program also provides a pathway to becoming a Registered Nurse or advancing within the health and social care sector.

Program Outline

Degree Overview:

The Nursing Associate Apprenticeship is a two-year, full-time program designed to train individuals for a generic nursing support role in England. It bridges the gap between Healthcare Support Workers and Registered Nurses, equipping graduates with the skills to deliver hands-on, person-centered care as part of a multidisciplinary team.

Objectives:

• Successful completion of the program leads to registration with the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) as a Nursing Associate.
• The program can serve as a stepping stone to becoming a Registered Nurse or advancing within the health and social care sector.
• Graduates are highly trained and equipped to provide safe and effective care to patients across the lifespan.

Description:

• The program combines theoretical and practical learning, with students attending university once a week and engaging in work-based learning the rest of the week.
• Students are taught and supported by experienced academics who also teach in the BSc(Hons) Adult Nursing, Learning Disability, Mental Health, and Children’s Nursing programs.
• Practice placements are provided in a range of clinical specialities and healthcare settings, including hospitals and the community.
• Students receive support from practice supervisors and practice assessors to develop clinical and interpersonal skills.
It equips students with the knowledge to inform their nursing practice and progress throughout the program.
• Communication and person-centred care (20 credits) – Semester 1: This module focuses on patient-centered care to promote patient safety.
• Introducing evidence-based practice for Nursing Associates (20 credits) – Semester 2: This module introduces the nature of evidence in health and social care and the importance of evidence-based practice for patients and their families.
Students develop skills in accessing evidence, gain familiarity with the library, and learn how to use the University’s referencing system.
• Recognising and meeting care needs (60 credits) – Semesters 1 and 2: This module introduces students to the values, frameworks, and skills that underpin working as a Nursing Associate.
It focuses on different methods and frameworks engaged in holistic care underpinned by evidence-based practice.
• Applied physiology for Nursing Associates (20 credits) – Semester 1: This module extends and deepens students’ understanding of human physiology and applies it to physiological changes that take place during disease processes.
• Team Working and Role Transition (20 credits) – Semester 2: This module develops and builds effective team working and leadership skills in a complex healthcare setting.
It explores theoretical models of leadership, teamwork, quality improvement, and patient safety.
• Providing and monitoring care for Nursing Associates (40 credits)- Semesters 1 and 2: This module builds on students’ existing knowledge and skills and extends these for application to more complex scenarios across the lifespan.
It focuses on the collaborative planning, delivery, and evaluation of holistic care alongside that of a registered nurse.

Assessment:

• A variety of teaching and assessment methods are used to support individual learning styles and build competence in various methods of assessment.
• Teaching includes lectures, seminars, skills-lab simulations, online learning, role-play, debates/discussion, as well as supervised learning within the clinical area.
• Assessment methods include essays, group projects, written examinations, presentations, and OSCEs.
• Apprentices must demonstrate competence in all skills, knowledge, and behaviours, as defined by the integrated Degree Apprenticeship Standard.
• Apprentices must evidence a minimum of 20% of their time in ‘of the job training’ activities, which can be achieved through lectures, seminars/workshops, tutorials, skills-lab sessions, e-learning, blended learning, and self-managed learning.

Teaching:

• A variety of teaching methods are used, including lectures, seminars, skills-lab simulations, online learning, role-play, debates/discussion, and supervised learning within the clinical area.
• Students are taught and supported by experienced academics who also teach in the BSc(Hons) Adult Nursing, Learning Disability, Mental Health, and Children’s Nursing programs.
• Students receive support from practice supervisors and practice assessors to develop clinical and interpersonal skills.

Careers:

• Upon completion of the program, graduates are eligible to apply for registration as a Nursing Associate with the NMC.
• This allows them to practice within the UK in NHS Trusts/hospitals, particularly where they gained experience during training.
• Qualified nursing associates can also go on to train as registered nurses by putting their training towards a shortened nursing degree or registered nurse degree apprenticeship (RNDA).

Other:

• The course has intakes in January, April, and October.
• Apprenticeship Employment Guidelines and Apprenticeship Evidence Pack Guidance are available.
• 96% of students on this course said they were challenged to achieve their best work (National Student Survey 2023).
• LSBU Nursing & Midwifery graduates are the highest paid amongst all London Modern university graduates, and fifth highest in the UK one year after graduating (DfE LEO data 2022).
• The cost of the apprenticeship is paid fully by the employer (sometimes part funded by the government) through apprenticeship levy.
• Employers with less than 50 staff sending an apprentice aged 16-18 will have 100% of the training costs paid by the government.
• All employers who employ an apprentice aged 16-18 on the first day of teaching will receive a £1,000 incentive from the government.
• From 1 April 2022, all NHS and Social Care personnel (including students) will be required to have evidence of double vaccination against Covid.
• Students unable or unwilling to be vaccinated will not be able to complete the program due to the requirement for practice placements.