Course summary

Would you like to become a nursing associate? Our course provides specialist training and support for you to become a nursing associate registered with the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) in two years. As a nursing associate, you'll play a vital role in the nursing team working across all four areas of nursing: adult, children's, learning disabilities, and mental health nursing. Working closely with healthcare assistants and registered nurses, you'll care for people across the lifespan in a range of settings, from the home to community and inpatient settings. At the end of this course, you'll be eligible to register with the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) and practise as a nursing associate. You'll also be able to complete further training through a top-up course or degree apprenticeship to qualify as a nurse. Course Overview The programme is studied over 2 years, and you will attend study and placements during the weeks specified on the programme planner. This will be made available to you on commencement of the course. Equal value is placed on theory and practice for the duration of the FdSc Nursing Associate programme, so 50% of your time on this course will be spent on placement covering all areas of nursing practice (adult, children's, mental health and learning disability) in the NHS and private, voluntary and independent sectors. Placement settings will include hospitals, nursing homes, GP surgeries, clinics, and more. Throughout the length of the course, you will be introduced to essential knowledge that a nursing associate is required to understand to enable the delivery of effective person-centred care, including the ability to research and study independently and work with student colleagues. The University of Cumbria has excellent clinical skills and simulation facilities including simulated ward areas, high dependency care areas, home spaces and a dedicated ‘immersive simulation room’ enabling experience of ‘real life’ scenarios. On this course you will

• Develop and accomplish the knowledge and skills you need to practise and provide evidenced-based and compassionate care as a registered nursing associate.

• Learn and work alongside all fields of nursing and the multi-disciplinary team whilst on placement, and recognise the contribution of different health professionals' roles and expertise.

• Develop skills through a range of nursing placements that will be a mixture of hospital and community settings, and through skills teaching and simulated practice.

• Prepare you to deliver a wide range of clinical, care and interpersonal skills underpinned by a systematic knowledge base.

• Applied Biological Sciences for Health

• Professional Practice and Accountability

• Developing Evidence Based Practice

• Introduction to Communication and Interpersonal Skills

• Concepts of Health and Social Policy

• Introduction to Nursing Associate Practice

• Pharmacology and Medicine Therapeutics

• Living with Long Term Conditions Across the Lifespan

• Learning from the 'Lived' Experience

• Communication and Relationship Management in a Therapeutic Context

• Understanding Care Needs

• The Nursing Associate as Leader