Nursing associate
Nursing associates care for sick people of all ages in hospital and in the community, working closely with registered nurses.
In this guide
What you'll do
Day-to-day tasks
In this role you could:
- set up drips and take blood samples
- record data, like temperature and blood pressure
- clean injuries and give injections and medicines
- share information about patients' progress with registered nurses
- support patients and their families
- care for patients with mental health or learning disabilities
Working environment
You could work in an NHS or private hospital, at a hospice or in the community.
Your working environment may be physically and emotionally demanding.
You may need to wear a uniform.
Career path and progression
If you're already a nursing associate, you can train to become a registered nurse by completing a shortened nursing degree or a nursing degree apprenticeship.
What it takes
Skills and knowledge
You'll need:
- a desire to help people
- knowledge of psychology
- to be thorough and pay attention to detail
- the ability to work well with others
- the ability to accept criticism and work well under pressure
- sensitivity and understanding
- patience and the ability to remain calm in stressful situations
- excellent verbal communication skills
- to be able to use a computer and the main software packages competently
Restrictions and Requirements
You'll need to:
Related subjects
Most relevant
- Biology - Nursing associates need to understand how the human body works in order to carry out tasks like taking blood samples, giving injections, and monitoring vital signs. Knowledge of anatomy, physiology, and how diseases affect the body is essential for providing safe and effective patient care.
- Psychology - Nursing associates support patients with mental health conditions and learning disabilities, and help people cope with illness and anxiety. Understanding how people think, feel, and behave helps them communicate sensitively and provide emotional support to patients and their families.
- English Language - Nursing associates record patient data, share information about patients' progress with registered nurses, and communicate with patients and families. Being able to write clearly and speak with confidence is vital for accurate record-keeping and for explaining care in a way patients can understand.
- Mathematics - Nursing associates calculate medication dosages, measure vital signs like blood pressure and temperature, and interpret numerical data from patient records. Getting these calculations right is critical for patient safety.
Also relevant
- Chemistry - Nursing associates administer medicines and set up drips, so understanding how drugs interact with the body and basic pharmacology is important. Chemistry also helps with understanding blood tests, infection control, and how different substances affect patients.
- Sociology - Nursing associates care for people from all backgrounds and need to understand how factors like poverty, culture, and social inequality affect health. This awareness helps them provide respectful, person-centred care in diverse communities.
- Physical Education - Nursing associates work in physically demanding environments, often spending long hours on their feet, moving patients, and carrying out hands-on care. Understanding the body's physical capabilities and how to look after your own health and wellbeing is genuinely useful in this role.
- Food Preparation and Nutrition - Nursing associates support patients' overall wellbeing, which includes understanding nutrition and how diet affects recovery from illness. Knowledge of dietary needs is especially important when caring for patients with conditions like diabetes or malnutrition.
How to become
You can get into this job through:
- a university course
- an apprenticeship
- working towards this role
You could do a nursing associate foundation degree at university. This usually takes 2 years to complete if you study full time.
Each university will set their own fees and have different funding options.
You should check that the course you choose is approved by the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC).
Entry requirements
You'll usually need:
- at least 1 A level, or equivalent, for a foundation degree
More Information
You can do a nursing associate higher apprenticeship. This will take you 2 years to complete and combines study with training on the job.
Entry requirements
To do this apprenticeship, you'll need:
- 2 or more GCSEs at grades 9 to 4 (A* to C), or equivalent, including English and maths
More Information
You could start as a healthcare assistant or care worker in a hospital or community care setting.
Once you have some experience, you could apply for a place on the nursing associate higher apprenticeship and train on the job.
You'll find it useful to get some volunteering experience in health or personal care. This will help when you apply for jobs or training.
Registration
- you'll need to register with the Nursing and Midwifery Council
Further information
You can find out more about how to become a nursing associate from Health Careers.
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