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Education

Continuous professional development for the nursing associate

24 October 2024
Regulars
02 October 2024
Volume 33 · Issue 19

Abstract

Claire Urwin, Principal Lead for Pre-Registration Developments in London/Programme Leader M Nurse, University of Sunderland (claire.urwin@sunderland.ac.uk), reviews the development of the registered nursing associate role and considers factors relating to professional development for role holders

The nursing associate (NA) qualification has been a standalone qualification in England since 2018 (Health Education England (HEE), 2017). Publication of the Standards of Proficiency by the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) in 2018, just as the first cohort of trainee NAs associates were due to complete their educational programme, provided a basis for regulation for NAs alongside registered nurses (NMC, 2018; 2024). The role was envisaged to primarily support and develop the nursing workforce of healthcare assistants and support workers across the health and social care sector (HEE, 2017), predominantly as a result of recommendations made in the Shape of Caring review (Willis, 2015). The role provides the basis for lifelong learning and a pathway for an experienced group of staff who were often unable to access higher education and a bachelor's degree programme leading to registered nurse status (HEE, 2024).

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