Nursing Associate

The University of Derby was one of the first Higher Education Institutions to be involved in the pilot training programme for Nursing Associates, with over 100 Trainee Nursing Associates starting with the University in January 2017.

• Join a Foundation Degree course with excellent career prospects: 100% of our graduates were employed or continued onto further study on completion of the course

• On successful completion of the programme you wil be able to Register with the Nursing and Midwifery Council as a Nursing Associate

• Gain essential practical experience within all four fields of nursing – Learning Disability, Mental Health, Children’s and Adult

• Benefit from some of the best university facilities of their kind including Clinical Skills Suites and our state-of-the-art Immersive Suites

• Be inspired on a programme with strong approval ratings: in the 2018 National Student Survey 92% were satisfied with this course

• Learn from a highly experienced and enthusiastic teaching team who provide full support to help you achieve your ambitions

This programme is aimed at individuals entering the Nursing Associate role. Entrants will come from a wide variety of backgrounds reflecting the breadth of the health and social care workforce. The programme develops your knowledge and critical understanding of theory underpinning workplace practices, fostering reflective practice and exploring the limits of the learner's scope of practice.

The programme reflects key policies shaping the Nursing Associate workforce, the NHS, Health and Social Care sectors today with the skills and attributes needed within the workforce to deliver care with compassion and to ensure the best outcomes for patients and service users. The programme has been developed through close consultation and collaboration with employers and is directly linked to the delivery of care in practice.

First-class facilities in Derby and Chesterfield

You can take this course at Derby or Chesterfield. Both offer outstanding learning environments built to professional standards, with replica wards, counselling rooms and treatment rooms fully equipped with the latest clinical resources.

Our state-of-the-art Immersive Suite creates a simulated environment for practising your skills in a realistic setting and are available at Derby and Chesterfield. The first university facility of its kind outside London, the suite replicates the atmosphere, sights and sounds of, for instance, the inside of an ambulance, a busy A&E ward or an operating theatre so you can gain a greater understanding of clinical decision-making in action.

In tune with latest developments

This course is closely mapped against the needs of employers. In delivering the programme we respond to national changes such as latest government policies to ensure your learning is up to date and relevant.

As health care is increasingly delivered by multi professional teams, we offer opportunities at each stage of the course for you to learn with, and from, students from other disciplines. This is really important in preparing you to work in more flexible ways after graduation. By learning to work together, you can help achieve the best outcomes for your patients.

Stage one

Human Growth and Development across the Lifespan
Communication and Working in Teams
Providing and Monitoring Nursing Care
Promoting Health and Independence
Personal and professional development for Nursing Associates
Integrated Theory and Practice

Stage two

Research and Evidence Based Practice
Medicines Management
Patient centred care for complex health needs
Leading and Integrating care
Assuring quality and safety of care
Applied Theory and Practice

Assessment approaches are varied and include poster presentations, exam, essays, assignments, case based discussions and practical skills assessments.

The teaching team includes qualified health professionals with extensive experience of nursing and leadership roles within the NHS as well as nursing education. They have professional interests across children’s, mental health learning disability nursing as well as Occupational therapy and science.

Your Programme Leader, Tracey Whitmore, has more than 30 years’ experience as Registered Nurse (Adult) as well as teaching higher education for over 10 years.

Professionally accredited courses provide industry-wide recognition of the quality of your qualification.

• Nursing and Midwifery Council