Nursing Associate
The nursing associate is a relatively new clinical role in the NHS in England, sitting between health care support workers and registered nurses and designed to deliver hands-on care to patients across a wide range of settings. Nursing associates work under the supervision of registered nurses and other health professionals, carrying out clinical tasks, monitoring patients, administering medicines, and providing personal care, while also coordinating aspects of patient care and supporting people to understand and manage their own health. The role was introduced to help meet the NHS's workforce needs while creating a meaningful and valued clinical career in its own right.
At Anglia Ruskin University, this three-year full-time foundation degree programme prepares you for registration as a nursing associate with the Nursing and Midwifery Council. You will study the knowledge and skills required to practise safely and effectively across the four fields of nursing, gaining experience in a range of clinical settings through practice placements. The programme covers anatomy and physiology, person-centred care, medicines management, clinical skills, communication, and the professional and ethical frameworks that govern nursing practice.
Learning takes place both in university and in clinical environments, and you will develop confidence working with patients of different ages and with diverse health needs.
Qualified nursing associates are employed across the NHS, in community settings, care homes, GP practices, and other health and social care organisations. Many nursing associates choose to progress to registered nurse status by topping up to a full nursing degree, for which the nursing associate qualification provides a direct academic pathway. Others build rewarding long-term careers as nursing associates, developing specialist knowledge and taking on mentoring and leadership roles within their teams.
The qualification is recognised nationally and offers genuine job security in a sector with sustained and significant workforce demand.