Programme structure
Study days may be at the University of Sheffield or arranged locally. These include taught sessions and various learning activities (workshops, group and individual tutorials, guided study, and online resources).
Unit 1: Foundations in Health for Nursing Associates
60 credits
This Unit will lay the foundations for the many core skills, attributes and values required for contemporary nursing associate practice. It offers students a broad and applied introduction to the study of nursing and its practice through the lifespan, within contemporary health and social care. Students will begin to access the evidence base for nursing associate practice and engage and reflect on its application through supervised practice within a multidisciplinary team. Students will be introduced to work with people from different fields of practice: mental health, learning disability, mother and child, adult and child fields of nursing in the context of nursing associates.
Learning outcomes
- Demonstrates knowledge of the meaning of being an accountable, professional nursing associate with a duty of care to others.
- Describes the role of the nursing associate in person centred care, within the context of the multidisciplinary team
- Demonstrates knowledge of anatomy and physiology to underpin safe practice.
- Demonstrates the ability to reflect on own communication skills and development needs.
- Achieve the clinical practice standard required for this unit.
Assessment
- Practical communication assessment with accompanying written summary of 1000 words
- A 1000 word reflection based on an alternative field of nursing.
- A formative health numeracy calculation test.
- Completion of Practice Assessment Documentation.
Unit 2: Developing Nursing Associate Practice: Caring for People with acute and short-term needs
60 credits
This Unit will continue to develop the knowledge, skills and professional values required for contemporary nursing associate practice by offering students an applied introduction to the nursing associate role by focussing on people who have acute and short-term needs. It further enables students to acquire a holistic core knowledge and skills base that underpins the theory and practice of safe nursing and the contribution of nursing associates within multi-disciplinary/multi-agency practice.
Learning outcomes
- Demonstrate knowledge of anatomy and physiology to underpin safe practice.
- Understand the safe use and action of medications.
- Application of knowledge of the role of the nursing associate in the provision and monitoring of people and shared decision making within the multidisciplinary/multi-agency team.
- Demonstrate safe and effective use of risk assessment and communication skills.
- Achieve the practice standard required for this unit.
Assessment
- A structured clinical examination based on a simulated scenario of an acutely ill deteriorating patient.
- A 1000 word reflection based on an alternative field of nursing.
- A pre-recorded presentation of a drug.
- Completion of Practice Assessment Documentation.
Unit 3: Developing Nursing Associate Practice: Caring for people with long-term and complex needs
60 credits
This unit is designed to enable students to further develop their nursing skills and professional attributes whilst focusing on those with long term and complex needs. Students will explore the wider aspects of health and illness and issues which impact upon them. They will seek to understand the unique needs and experiences of adults and their families living with long term conditions, and the significance of multi-agency collaboration across the health and social care sectors. This will be achieved by drawing the students’ attention to current policy, practice and research. In addition psychological, physiological and sociological perspectives are explored. The unit will develop understanding of the importance of user/ carer expertise in health care decision making.
Learning outcomes
- Explore the nursing associate’s role in promoting and protecting health, preventing ill-health and discuss factors that may lead to inequalities in health outcomes.
- Discuss the role of the nursing associate in multi-agency collaboration and integrated care across the health and social care sectors when caring for patients with long-term and complex conditions
- Demonstrate understanding of the importance of user/ carer expertise in health care decision making and the personalisation of healthcare.
- Discuss best practice approaches to communication for managing complex and long term care needs; providing health information and checking understanding
- Demonstrate health numeracy to underpin safe practice.
- Achieve the practice standard required for this unit.
Assessment
- A health numeracy calculation test that requires 80% or above to pass.
- A 1000 word reflection based on an alternative field of nursing.
- A presentation and an educational resource.
- Completion of Practice Assessment Documentation.
Unit 4: Transition to Professional Nursing Associate Practice
60 credits
This final unit is undertaken prior to admission to the NMC register upon successful completion. This practice focused unit will consolidate learning of all Nursing Associate apprenticeship/NMC standards and facilitate students to seek out and utilise evidence based principles which underpin safe and professional nursing interventions as they transition into autonomous and accountable nursing associate practitioners. It offers a critical examination of the fundamental and specialist knowledge, skills and attitudes required of the nursing associate and examines the nature of the nurse associate’s contribution in effective multidisciplinary care.
Learning outcomes
- Demonstrate proficiency and accuracy when calculating dosages of prescribed medicines
- Explore concepts and practice of patient safety, personal safety and coherently communicate findings.
- Consider the role of the nursing associate as an ambassador, coach, supervisor, and professional role model.
- Achieve the clinical practice standard required for this unit.
- Complete “End-point-assessment”
Assessment
- A 1000 word reflection based on an alternative field of nursing.
- A 2500 word research risk assignment.
- A formative health numeracy calculation test with 100% pass mark required.
- Completion of Practice Assessment Documentation.