Nursing Associate Apprenticeship

A blended learning approach to teaching is adopted and uses a range of strategies including the interactive workshops, lectures, seminars, virtual learning environment, flipped classroom and e-learning packages. Scenario-based approaches promote personalised engagement with learning and facilitate group activities, discussions, shared and individual problem-solving and decision-making.

You will meet with your personal academic tutor 4 times each year, who will provide academic and pastoral support and sign-posting.

To integrate theory and practice and to development your knowledge, skills and behaviours all apprentices have 4 tripartite individual learner reviews each year. Members of this review will include the employer/assessor/supervisor, a university representative and the apprentice. Undertaking these scheduled tripartite meetings will allow individual monitoring of progress across the apprenticeship.

The University places emphasis on enabling you to develop the independent learning capabilities that will equip you for lifelong learning and future employment, as well as academic achievement. With study skills embedded into the early stages of the course to help promote apprentice achievement and confidence with learning and assessment.

At the core of the Nursing Associate programme is learning in a range of clinical settings, learning in the real world which facilitates work-readiness, personal and professional development. Mandatory work-based learning equates to 50% of the programme credit for each year. Placement Support Team: Nursing, Midwifery, and Allied Health (PLAST) and will run throughout each semester across the year, with experiences normally in a minimum of two practice placements each year, this includes a primary placement where you are employed and an alternative placement. The use of ‘spokes’ will also maximise the learning opportunities offered by diverse and non-traditional settings, offering exposure to opportunities to care for people across the lifespan, with mental and physical health needs and learning disabilities.

Enhanced learning days rooted in clinical practice, provide opportunities to consolidate learning, provide an opportunity for reflection, complete project activities and inter-professional learning opportunities and seek additional support as necessary to promote inclusive learning in the practice setting

While completing work-based learning you will have protected learning time and be supported by a practice supervisor and assessed by a practice assessor, both having undergone appropriate preparation for these roles.

Further support is provided by the practice-based learning team employed to support the apprentice including a practice facilitator and/or clinical tutors, personal academic tutor, the inter-professional team, and an academic assessor allocated for each year of the programme. You will have access to the internet and library resources whilst on placement.

You will be provided with the opportunity to complete skills and simulated learning activities in our excellent simulation suite, replicating hospital and community settings. You will be allocated 2 weeks (37 hours per week) in each year for skills and simulation teaching, which includes role-play, hands-on practical skills sessions using a range of simulation manikins, video recording and playback.