Nursing Associate

University of Northampton, the

Qualification

Degree

Length

2 yrs

UK fees / yr

£9,535

Study

full-time

Worth knowing: about 30% of students don't make it past first year here - ask the uni what support they offer.

Robin · your guide

Here's the honest picture on this course - what you'd study, whether you'd likely get in, what it pays, and where it leads. Everything's real data.

About this course

The nursing associate role is a relatively new addition to the nursing and midwifery workforce in England, created to bridge the gap between healthcare support workers and registered nurses, and to provide a skilled, flexible workforce that can support the delivery of care across NHS and other healthcare settings. Nursing associates work alongside registered nurses, carrying out a range of clinical tasks, supporting patients with daily living activities, administering medicines, and monitoring patient conditions, under the supervision of a registered nurse and as part of a multidisciplinary team.

At the University of Northampton, this two-year full-time programme leads to registration with the Nursing and Midwifery Council as a nursing associate, giving you the professional qualification and regulated status needed to practise in the role. The programme combines academic study of the principles of care, anatomy and physiology, pharmacology, and evidence-based practice with supervised clinical placement experience across different care settings. You will develop both the knowledge and the practical skills needed to support patients safely and compassionately, and to work within the professional and ethical frameworks that govern nursing practice.

The typical entry tariff is 88 UCAS points.

Graduates register with the Nursing and Midwifery Council and work in NHS hospitals, community healthcare, care homes, GP practices, and a range of other healthcare settings. The nursing associate qualification is also designed as a stepping stone for those who want to progress to full registered nurse status, and many nursing associates go on to train as registered nurses through degree apprenticeship or top-up degree programmes. The role is a recognised and valued part of the healthcare workforce, and training places are in consistent demand.

Could you get in?

The grades students arrived with

<48 pts25%

64-79 pts10%

80-95 pts30%

96-111 pts10%

112-127 pts15%

144-159 pts10%

How they qualified

70% got in with A-levels. The rest came in a mix of ways:

A-levels70%

an Access course20%