Nursing Associate Higher Apprenticeship FdSc

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Course Summary

Registered Nursing Associate roles are in a variety of health and social care settings. This Foundation Degree underpins Registered Nursing Associate development, and the course content includes both theory and practice which adhere to the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC 2018) Standards of Proficiency for Nursing Associates and the Nursing Associate Higher Apprenticeship Standards (2021).

We provide students with amazing subject-specific facilities and a practical approach to learning. Our experienced team of staff work hard to help you realise your potential through a variety of teaching methods, including practice placements.

As an apprentice you will need to be employed for at least 30 hours per week to be considered full time and be paid at least the minimum wage. However, the course requires you to work 37.5 hours a week. Within your working hours, you will attend one full day at the University of Chester. Your employer will commit to supporting you in practice to achieve work-based learning, development in your role and the application of theory to practice during the remainder of your working week. This will be implemented in varying ways, dependent upon your employing organisation.

Ofsted Good Provider

Why You'll Love It

Learn in state-of-the-art simulation suites

Our new simulation suite emulates diverse healthcare spaces, ranging from a patient’s home and community clinic settings to acute care settings, including a Triage Assessment Area, Maternity Delivery Suite, Children’s Ward and General Ward. Patient simulators and virtual reality technology will immerse you in the learning experience, and support the development of your skill set.

students in nursing simulation suite

Gain experience on placements

You will experience three placements per year, which cover Adult, Learning Disability, Mental Health and Children, as well as people at home, close to home and in hospital. We are well positioned within the North West to network and collaborate with key influencers, including local NHS Trusts and Local Authorities.

nursing student talking with people

Kick-start your career

Kick-start your career as a Registered Nursing Associate with our employer-led apprenticeship programme. We specialise in delivering innovative employment-focused courses in a professional learning environment. You will acquire invaluable hands-on experience and competencies, enabling you to develop the skills and the confidence to become a nursing associate with a valuable role to play in society.

BN adult nursing

What You'llStudy

Year 1 (Level 4): the following key themes are covered throughout your first year, including: introducing professional and academic lifelong learning; promoting health and preventing ill health across the age continuum; providing and monitoring person centred care; applied anatomy, physiology and integrated pharmacology; practice learning.

Module content:

  1. Personal, professional and lifelong learning: transition to Higher Education; academic writing and study skills; demonstrate the numeracy, literacy, digital and technological skills required to meet the needs of people to ensure safe and effective practice. Relevant professional regulation (for example NMC Code; Assistant Practitioner Core Standards); Duty of Candour and professional requirements influencing the role.

  2. Self-awareness:  recognising signs of vulnerability in themselves or their colleagues; adopting a healthy lifestyle; understand and explain the meaning of resilience and emotional intelligence; the importance of reflection and continuous self-reflection.

  3. Research awareness: principles of research; how research findings are used to inform evidence-based practice.

  4. Effective communication: use a range of skills and strategies with colleagues, within teams and people, their families and carers at all stages of life and with a range of mental, physical, cognitive and behavioural health challenges in order to develop, manage and maintain appropriate relationships.

Module aims:

To provide a foundation for the socialisation of students into the values and responsibilities of their professional role.

Module content:

  1. Personal, professional and lifelong learning: transition to Higher Education; academic writing and study skills; demonstrate the numeracy, literacy, digital and technological skills required to meet the needs of people to ensure safe and effective practice. Relevant professional regulation (for example NMC Code; Assistant Practitioner Core Standards); Duty of Candour and professional requirements influencing the role.

  2. Self-awareness:  recognising signs of vulnerability in themselves or their colleagues; adopting a healthy lifestyle; understand and explain the meaning of resilience and emotional intelligence; the importance of reflection and continuous self-reflection.

  3. Research awareness: principles of research; how research findings are used to inform evidence-based practice.

  4. Effective communication: use a range of skills and strategies with colleagues, within teams and people, their families and carers at all stages of life and with a range of mental, physical, cognitive and behavioural health challenges in order to develop, manage and maintain appropriate relationships.

Module aims:

To provide a foundation for the socialisation of students into the values and responsibilities of their professional role.

Module content:

  1. Public Health:  aims and principles of health promotion, protection and improvement and the prevention of ill health, demonstrating an understanding of co-morbidities and the demands of meeting peoples holistic needs.  Preventive health behaviours; supporting people to make informed choices to improve their mental, physical, behavioural health and wellbeing.

  2. Determinants of Health:  contribution of social influences, health literacy, individual circumstances, behaviours and lifestyle choices to mental, physical and behavioural health outcomes.  Health screening and factors that may lead to inequalities in health outcomes.

  3. Human development from pre-conception to death:  delivery of person-centred safe and effective care.  The importance of early years, childhood experiences and the possible impact on later life choices.

  4. Health protection:  evidence base for immunisation, vaccination and herd immunity; principles of infection prevention and control, including communicable disease surveillance and antimicrobial stewardship and resistance. 

Module aims:

To introduce students to public health and health promotion across the age continuum.

Module content:

  1. Public Health:  aims and principles of health promotion, protection and improvement and the prevention of ill health, demonstrating an understanding of co-morbidities and the demands of meeting peoples holistic needs.  Preventive health behaviours; supporting people to make informed choices to improve their mental, physical, behavioural health and wellbeing.

  2. Determinants of Health:  contribution of social influences, health literacy, individual circumstances, behaviours and lifestyle choices to mental, physical and behavioural health outcomes.  Health screening and factors that may lead to inequalities in health outcomes.

  3. Human development from pre-conception to death:  delivery of person-centred safe and effective care.  The importance of early years, childhood experiences and the possible impact on later life choices.

  4. Health protection:  evidence base for immunisation, vaccination and herd immunity; principles of infection prevention and control, including communicable disease surveillance and antimicrobial stewardship and resistance. 

Module aims:

To introduce students to public health and health promotion across the age continuum.

Module content:

  1. Defining person centred care: recognition of a person’s health improvement or deterioration; timely reporting of findings; safety, dignity, privacy; holistic care.  Monitor effectiveness of care in partnership with people, families and carers. How mental capacity affects ability to make decisions about own care; giving or withholding consent; recognising when capacity has changed; where and how to seek guidance and support from others to ensure that the best interests of those receiving care are upheld.

  2. Safety of individuals: recognise people at risk of abuse, self-harm and/or suicidal ideation. Personal responsibility to ensure relevant information is shared according to local policy; keep complete, clear, accurate and timely records; recognise and report any factors that may adversely influence on safe and effective care provision. Provide appropriate safeguarding measures.

  3. Therapeutic relationships: support people with commonly encountered symptoms including anxiety, confusion, discomfort, pain and vulnerability. Understand the principles of basic mental health first aid. Service user empowerment, empathy, compassion, care, commitment; communication and relationship management skills.

  4. End of life care: principles of person-centred planning and delivering sensitive and compassionate end of life and bereavement care. Supporting people who are dying and deceased; acting in line with any end of life decisions, organ and tissue donation protocols, infection protocols, advanced planning decisions, living wills and lasting powers of attorney for health.

Module aims:

To promote students understanding of person-centred care.

Module content:

  1. Defining person centred care: recognition of a person’s health improvement or deterioration; timely reporting of findings; safety, dignity, privacy; holistic care.  Monitor effectiveness of care in partnership with people, families and carers. How mental capacity affects ability to make decisions about own care; giving or withholding consent; recognising when capacity has changed; where and how to seek guidance and support from others to ensure that the best interests of those receiving care are upheld.

  2. Safety of individuals: recognise people at risk of abuse, self-harm and/or suicidal ideation. Personal responsibility to ensure relevant information is shared according to local policy; keep complete, clear, accurate and timely records; recognise and report any factors that may adversely influence on safe and effective care provision. Provide appropriate safeguarding measures.

  3. Therapeutic relationships: support people with commonly encountered symptoms including anxiety, confusion, discomfort, pain and vulnerability. Understand the principles of basic mental health first aid. Service user empowerment, empathy, compassion, care, commitment; communication and relationship management skills.

  4. End of life care: principles of person-centred planning and delivering sensitive and compassionate end of life and bereavement care. Supporting people who are dying and deceased; acting in line with any end of life decisions, organ and tissue donation protocols, infection protocols, advanced planning decisions, living wills and lasting powers of attorney for health.

Module aims:

To promote students understanding of person-centred care.

Module content:

  1. Introduction to the human body across the age continuum; characteristics of life; concept of integration and homeostasis. Levels of structural organisation; systems and cross-system concepts, organs, tissues, cells and chemicals. Geographical navigation of the body; anatomical position and directional terms.   Overview of relevant disciplines. Overview of the biological basis of routine investigations.  

  2. Basic principles of pharmacology and their application; concept of keeping an ongoing personal formulary diary.

  3. The internal environment, fluid and electrolyte balance;  homeostatic control; common disorders; principles of restoring fluid and electrolyte imbalance homeostasis.

  4. Human body systems:

    - Integumentary system and cross-system concepts; human microbiome; inflammation, introduction to wound healing; introduction to the physiology of pain; principles of pharmacology/ topical route; common disorders and commonly prescribed medicines.

    - Nervous system and cross-system concepts; mental health/learning disability; common disorders; principles of pharmacology and commonly prescribed medicines.

    - Endocrine system and cross-system concepts; common disorders and commonly prescribed medicines.

    - Cardiovascular system and cross-system concepts; blood; common disorders and commonly prescribed medicines.

    - Lymphatic system and immunity; cross-system concepts; common disorders and commonly prescribed medicines.

    - Respiratory system and cross-system concepts; common disorders and commonly prescribed medicines.

    - Gastro Intestinal system and cross-system concepts; common disorders and commonly prescribed medicines.

    - Muscular Skeletal system and cross-system concepts; common disorders and commonly prescribed medicines.

    - Urinary system and cross-system concepts; common disorders and commonly prescribed medicines.

    - Reproductive system and cross-system concepts; genetics/ genomics; common disorders and commonly prescribed  medicines.

Module aims:

To demonstrate an understanding of basic human anatomy and physiology, show how these are linked to the biological basis of pharmacology, and subsequently applied in practice.

Module content:

  1. Introduction to the human body across the age continuum; characteristics of life; concept of integration and homeostasis. Levels of structural organisation; systems and cross-system concepts, organs, tissues, cells and chemicals. Geographical navigation of the body; anatomical position and directional terms.   Overview of relevant disciplines. Overview of the biological basis of routine investigations.  

  2. Basic principles of pharmacology and their application; concept of keeping an ongoing personal formulary diary.

  3. The internal environment, fluid and electrolyte balance;  homeostatic control; common disorders; principles of restoring fluid and electrolyte imbalance homeostasis.

  4. Human body systems:

    - Integumentary system and cross-system concepts; human microbiome; inflammation, introduction to wound healing; introduction to the physiology of pain; principles of pharmacology/ topical route; common disorders and commonly prescribed medicines.

    - Nervous system and cross-system concepts; mental health/learning disability; common disorders; principles of pharmacology and commonly prescribed medicines.

    - Endocrine system and cross-system concepts; common disorders and commonly prescribed medicines.

    - Cardiovascular system and cross-system concepts; blood; common disorders and commonly prescribed medicines.

    - Lymphatic system and immunity; cross-system concepts; common disorders and commonly prescribed medicines.

    - Respiratory system and cross-system concepts; common disorders and commonly prescribed medicines.

    - Gastro Intestinal system and cross-system concepts; common disorders and commonly prescribed medicines.

    - Muscular Skeletal system and cross-system concepts; common disorders and commonly prescribed medicines.

    - Urinary system and cross-system concepts; common disorders and commonly prescribed medicines.

    - Reproductive system and cross-system concepts; genetics/ genomics; common disorders and commonly prescribed  medicines.

Module aims:

To demonstrate an understanding of basic human anatomy and physiology, show how these are linked to the biological basis of pharmacology, and subsequently applied in practice.

Module content:

  1. Professional values; the NMC Code; Nursing Associate professional boundaries and behaviours
  2. Effective Communication; interpersonal skills and listening.
  3. Acquisition of a range of fundamental skills relating to PAD and practice learning experience across a variety of learning environments.
  4. Portfolio building which includes the profiling of learning experiences
  5. The importance of working within multi professional teams in health and social care; role of the service users, carers and families in relation to professional values.
  6. Infection prevention and control; standard protection protocol, aseptic and non-touch techniques; personal protection equipment; isolation procedures, hand hygiene; decontamination; waste handling; and potential infection risks.  

Module aims:

To enable the student to represent the standards of knowledge and skills required in order to be capable of delivering safe and effective care across a variety of health and care settings.

Provide students with practice learning opportunities to develop knowledge and skills enabling informed decision making about delegation of care.

Module content:

  1. Professional values; the NMC Code; Nursing Associate professional boundaries and behaviours
  2. Effective Communication; interpersonal skills and listening.
  3. Acquisition of a range of fundamental skills relating to PAD and practice learning experience across a variety of learning environments.
  4. Portfolio building which includes the profiling of learning experiences
  5. The importance of working within multi professional teams in health and social care; role of the service users, carers and families in relation to professional values.
  6. Infection prevention and control; standard protection protocol, aseptic and non-touch techniques; personal protection equipment; isolation procedures, hand hygiene; decontamination; waste handling; and potential infection risks.  

Module aims:

To enable the student to represent the standards of knowledge and skills required in order to be capable of delivering safe and effective care across a variety of health and care settings.

Provide students with practice learning opportunities to develop knowledge and skills enabling informed decision making about delegation of care.

In Year 2 (Level 5), you will continue to study the ethos of person-centred care as well as developing your skills to become a registered practitioner, including: enhancing professional and academic learning; medicines management; working in teams; practice learning; integrated care; trans-professional research and innovation.

Module content:

  1. Professional standards:  relevant professional regulation; Duty of Candour and professional requirements impacting on the role requirements whilst acting as an ambassador for their profession and promoting public confidence in health and care services.

  2. Professional attitudes, values and behaviours: provide, promote, and where appropriate advocate for, non-discriminatory, person-centred and sensitive care at all times.

  3. Self- reflection: continuous self-reflection, seeking and responding to support and feedback to develop professional knowledge and skills.

  4. Legal, ethical and accountable practice: understand and apply relevant legal, regulatory and governance requirements, policies, and ethical frameworks, including any mandatory reporting duties, to all areas of practice including discriminatory behaviour.

Module aims:

To enhance the socialisation of students into the values and responsibilities of the professional role.

Module content:

  1. Professional standards:  relevant professional regulation; Duty of Candour and professional requirements impacting on the role requirements whilst acting as an ambassador for their profession and promoting public confidence in health and care services.

  2. Professional attitudes, values and behaviours: provide, promote, and where appropriate advocate for, non-discriminatory, person-centred and sensitive care at all times.

  3. Self- reflection: continuous self-reflection, seeking and responding to support and feedback to develop professional knowledge and skills.

  4. Legal, ethical and accountable practice: understand and apply relevant legal, regulatory and governance requirements, policies, and ethical frameworks, including any mandatory reporting duties, to all areas of practice including discriminatory behaviour.

Module aims:

To enhance the socialisation of students into the values and responsibilities of the professional role.

Module content:

  1. Principles of safe and effective medicine management: knowledge of pharmacology when delivering care; local and national policies; best practice guidance. Prescribing processes. Documentation. Escalation of concerns. Transport, storage and disposal.

  2. Administering medication: informed consent and capacity; self-administration; professional accountability; oral, enteral, topical and inhalation routes; humidifier and nebulizer devices, administration of oxygen. Subcutaneous and Intra-muscular injections. Enemas and suppositories; symptom relief medication.

  3. Monitoring: allergies, drugs sensitivities, contraindications; adverse drug reactions, effectiveness of pharmacological input.
  4. Digital, literacy and technological skills: numeracy and drug calculations, safe and effective practice, professional accountability, legal and regulatory and governance requirements.

Module aims:

To enable the student to develop the required knowledge and professional accountability to be proficient in safe and effective medicine management across a variety of health and care settings. 

Module content:

  1. Principles of safe and effective medicine management: knowledge of pharmacology when delivering care; local and national policies; best practice guidance. Prescribing processes. Documentation. Escalation of concerns. Transport, storage and disposal.

  2. Administering medication: informed consent and capacity; self-administration; professional accountability; oral, enteral, topical and inhalation routes; humidifier and nebulizer devices, administration of oxygen. Subcutaneous and Intra-muscular injections. Enemas and suppositories; symptom relief medication.

  3. Monitoring: allergies, drugs sensitivities, contraindications; adverse drug reactions, effectiveness of pharmacological input.
  4. Digital, literacy and technological skills: numeracy and drug calculations, safe and effective practice, professional accountability, legal and regulatory and governance requirements.

Module aims:

To enable the student to develop the required knowledge and professional accountability to be proficient in safe and effective medicine management across a variety of health and care settings. 

Module content:

  1. Role Modelling and supervision:  relevant professional regulation; Duty of Candour and professional requirements influencing your role. Support, supervise and act as a role model; preparation for practice supervisor. Promote reflection and provide constructive feedback. Contribute to team reflection activities.

  2. Team working: support and motivate other members of the care team; understand and apply the principles of human factors and environmental factors.

  3. Information and data: effectively and responsibly access, input, and apply information and data including digital technologies; share appropriately within interdisciplinary teams.

  4. Managing others: prioritise and manage own workload; safe delegation, monitor and review the quality of care delivered, provide challenging and constructive feedback, staffing levels.

  5. Legislation, policy and political drivers: impact upon health and care provision; Health and Safety, risk assessments.

Module aims:

To enable the student to apply an understanding of the core principles required for effective team working.  

Module content:

  1. Role Modelling and supervision:  relevant professional regulation; Duty of Candour and professional requirements influencing your role. Support, supervise and act as a role model; preparation for practice supervisor. Promote reflection and provide constructive feedback. Contribute to team reflection activities.

  2. Team working: support and motivate other members of the care team; understand and apply the principles of human factors and environmental factors.

  3. Information and data: effectively and responsibly access, input, and apply information and data including digital technologies; share appropriately within interdisciplinary teams.

  4. Managing others: prioritise and manage own workload; safe delegation, monitor and review the quality of care delivered, provide challenging and constructive feedback, staffing levels.

  5. Legislation, policy and political drivers: impact upon health and care provision; Health and Safety, risk assessments.

Module aims:

To enable the student to apply an understanding of the core principles required for effective team working.  

Module content:

  1. Evidence based approaches to monitoring signs and symptoms of health: deterioration and improvement; use of nutritional assessment tools; record fluid intake and output; peak flow and oximetry; neurological observations; nasal and oral suctioning techniques; blood glucose levels; venepuncture, electrocardiogram (ECG) recordings. Manage catheters; monitor continence, identify retention and incontinence. Use of personal protective equipment
    (PPE) and isolation procedures.

  2. Person centred nursing care: observe and reassess skin and hygiene status; skin irritations and rashes; undertake wound care, assist with artificial nutrition and hydration using oral and enteral routes; identification of moving and handling independence. Care of the dying and deceased. 

  3. Communication and record keeping: digital record keeping; therapeutic relationships; verbal and non-verbal communication; questioning techniques; alternative communication techniques; effective information sharing about a range of common mental, physical, behavioural and cognitive health conditions. Assertiveness; difficult conversations; de-escalation techniques, conflict management. Translator services. Repetition and reinforcement strategies.

  4. Risk management: local and national frameworks; reporting, escalating, uncertainty. Major incident protocols. 

Module aims:

To enable the student to represent the standards of knowledge and skills required in order to be capable of delivering safe and effective care across a variety of health and care settings.

Provide knowledge and skills to enable student to make informed decisions about delegation of care.

Module content:

  1. Evidence based approaches to monitoring signs and symptoms of health: deterioration and improvement; use of nutritional assessment tools; record fluid intake and output; peak flow and oximetry; neurological observations; nasal and oral suctioning techniques; blood glucose levels; venepuncture, electrocardiogram (ECG) recordings. Manage catheters; monitor continence, identify retention and incontinence. Use of personal protective equipment
    (PPE) and isolation procedures.

  2. Person centred nursing care: observe and reassess skin and hygiene status; skin irritations and rashes; undertake wound care, assist with artificial nutrition and hydration using oral and enteral routes; identification of moving and handling independence. Care of the dying and deceased. 

  3. Communication and record keeping: digital record keeping; therapeutic relationships; verbal and non-verbal communication; questioning techniques; alternative communication techniques; effective information sharing about a range of common mental, physical, behavioural and cognitive health conditions. Assertiveness; difficult conversations; de-escalation techniques, conflict management. Translator services. Repetition and reinforcement strategies.

  4. Risk management: local and national frameworks; reporting, escalating, uncertainty. Major incident protocols. 

Module aims:

To enable the student to represent the standards of knowledge and skills required in order to be capable of delivering safe and effective care across a variety of health and care settings.

Provide knowledge and skills to enable student to make informed decisions about delegation of care.

Module content:

  1. Interdisciplinary teams supporting across the lifespan:  for example; physiotherapy, occupational therapy; dietetics; social care; primary care; specialist nursing; social work; speech and language therapy.  Supporting patients and their families.

  2. Safe and effective care: challenges; comorbidities, complexities of mental, cognitive, behavioural and physical across settings; equitable access; reablement.

  3. Transition and discharge: lifespan considerations, environmental and settings for care; national and local policies and best practice guidance. 

Module aims:

To enhance the knowledge of students in regard to the role of interdisciplinary teams in person centred care. 

Module content:

  1. Interdisciplinary teams supporting across the lifespan:  for example; physiotherapy, occupational therapy; dietetics; social care; primary care; specialist nursing; social work; speech and language therapy.  Supporting patients and their families.

  2. Safe and effective care: challenges; comorbidities, complexities of mental, cognitive, behavioural and physical across settings; equitable access; reablement.

  3. Transition and discharge: lifespan considerations, environmental and settings for care; national and local policies and best practice guidance. 

Module aims:

To enhance the knowledge of students in regard to the role of interdisciplinary teams in person centred care. 

Module content:

  1. Understand and apply evidence bases: decision-making and problem solving; hierarchies of knowledge; person centred practice and embedding service user perspectives.

  2. Trans-professional learning development and collaboration: Remit roles and responsibilities; role interfaces; sharing knowledge.

  3. Research: philosophy of research; literature searching; research methodologies; research appraisal and critical thinking; evaluation of research in practice utilising a breadth of evidence bases; ethics and governance.

  4. Service improvement and innovation methodologies:  values, quality and continuous improvement; audit and evaluation in practice; clinical governance; service user co-production.

  5. Drivers influencing practice: policy; socio-political and economic drivers; impact upon health and social care provision; policy determinants; organisational strategies. 

Module aims:

Demonstrate an understanding of the evidence based principles of research, service improvement and innovation in trans-professional practice. 

Module content:

  1. Understand and apply evidence bases: decision-making and problem solving; hierarchies of knowledge; person centred practice and embedding service user perspectives.

  2. Trans-professional learning development and collaboration: Remit roles and responsibilities; role interfaces; sharing knowledge.

  3. Research: philosophy of research; literature searching; research methodologies; research appraisal and critical thinking; evaluation of research in practice utilising a breadth of evidence bases; ethics and governance.

  4. Service improvement and innovation methodologies:  values, quality and continuous improvement; audit and evaluation in practice; clinical governance; service user co-production.

  5. Drivers influencing practice: policy; socio-political and economic drivers; impact upon health and social care provision; policy determinants; organisational strategies. 

Module aims:

Demonstrate an understanding of the evidence based principles of research, service improvement and innovation in trans-professional practice. 

Who You'll Learn From

Julie Lawson

Programme Leader for Nursing Associates (Apprenticeship) FdSc
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Laura Clews

Lecturer
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How You'll Learn

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A blend of practical experience and a variety of teaching and learning methods

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There are a range of assessment methods on this course

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This course is designed around in-person study

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There may be some online learning activities to supplement in-person teaching

You will experience a variety of teaching and learning methods designed to facilitate achievement of learning outcomes and to foster your development. These include:

  • formal group-based learning sessions
  • e-learning/blended learning opportunities
  • learning through practice
  • private directed study.

Assessment methods include:

  • portfolios
  • learning logs
  • practical examinations
  • practice-based assessment
  • case studies
  • assignments.

Beyond the Classroom

On this apprenticeship, you’ll spend time out on placement where you’ll apply what you have learnt to real scenarios in healthcare settings, giving you genuine experience and insight that will prepare you for your future career.

Entry Requirements

Essential 

  • Applicants must be employed full-time with a health or social care employer. Evidence of working within care would be beneficial. 
  • GCSE Maths and English at Grade C (4) or accepted equivalent such as Functional Skills. 
  • You will be expected to undertake an enhanced DBS check as part of your conditional offer requirements.  
  • The employer/current manager will be required to evidence that the applicant has received an occupational health assessment prior to starting the programme. 
  • Accreditation of prior learning will be considered in accordance with University, Apprenticeship and Professional Body requirements. 

Other requirements 

  • Applicants meeting the entry requirements will be shortlisted for a values-based interview in line with NMC Standards of Proficiency for Nursing Associates (2024), and the Standards for pre-registration Nursing Associate programmes (2018). 

Where You'll Study Wheeler, Chester

City centre location

Located within the lively city centre of Chester and overlooking the River Dee, Wheeler is home to most courses within Nursing and Midwifery, Health and Social Care, and Law.

Health and Social Care simulation suite

Our simulation suite emulates diverse healthcare spaces, ranging from a patient’s home and community clinic settings to acute care settings, including a Triage Assessment Area, Maternity Delivery Suite, Children’s Ward, and a General Ward.

Students working in the Nursing simulation suite

On-site library

Our on-site library houses extensive book collections, journals, and school-based resources, as well as computer suites and multimedia rooms that are ideal for Law students to access the Oxford University Press Law Trove, which houses all of their core texts online.

Social spaces

Wheeler’s café and coffee shop serves hot and cold drinks, snacks, and delicious meals. Meanwhile, the student common room provides a social, group work, and discussion space for students.

Fees and Funding

Maximum funding for this apprenticeship at the University of Chester is currently £15,000.

Apprenticeships are funded by employers. For levy paying employers (organisations with a pay bill of over £3m per year), the total cost of the course will be directly met through levy contributions in the employer’s digital account.

For non-levy employers (organisations with a pay bill of less than £3m per year) there are other funding options. Please contact us for support and guidance on the options available.

Your course will involve additional costs not covered by your tuition fees. This may include books, printing, photocopying, educational stationery and related materials, specialist clothing, travel to placements, optional field trips and software. Compulsory field trips are covered by your tuition fees.

If you are living away from home during your time at university, you will need to cover costs such as accommodation, food, travel and bills.

There are no hidden extra costs for the apprenticeship, but if your chosen career requires professional body registration there could be additional costs in relation to initial registration and retaining professional body status which are not funded as part of the apprenticeship.

The University of Chester supports fair access for students who may need additional support through a range of bursaries and scholarships. 

Full details, as well as terms and conditions for all bursaries and scholarships can be found on the Fees & Finance section of our website.

Your Future Career

Job Prospects

On successful completion of the course, you will be able to register with the Nursing and Midwifery Council as a registered practitioner. It is anticipated you will be employed in any one of a range of health care settings such as:   

  • Hospitals
  • Community care
  • Primary care
  • Care homes
  • Mental health and learning disability services
  • Hospices
  • Private health care
  • Education institutions  

Careers Service

The University has an award-winning Careers and Employability service which provides a variety of employability-enhancing experiences; through the curriculum, through employer contact, tailored group sessions, individual information, advice and guidance.

Careers and Employability aims to deliver a service which is inclusive, impartial, welcoming, informed and tailored to your personal goals and aspirations, to enable you to develop as an individual and contribute to the business and community in which you will live and work.

We are here to help you plan your future, make the most of your time at University and to enhance your employability. We provide access to part-time jobs, extra-curricular employability-enhancing workshops and offer practical one-to-one help with career planning, including help with CVs, applications and mock interviews. We also deliver group sessions on career planning within each course and we have a wide range of extensive information covering graduate jobs and postgraduate study.

Enquire about a course