Nicola’s patient route to nursing
THERE’S now a new route into medicine and becoming a nurse.
The post of nursing associate could be the first step towards graduate-level nursing. You don’t need A-levels and training is mainly work-based.
Nursing associates provide care including taking a patient’s blood pressure, temperature, respirations and pulse.
They also perform procedures such as cannulation which involves inserting a tube into a patient, venepuncture to take blood and electrocardiograms ( ECGs) to measure heart activity, and discuss the patient’s condition with registered nurses.
The first 1,800 qualified nursing associates are to start work this spring. You can join with no prior NHS experience, but most of the first associates are existing staff moving up the ladder.
Nicola Leach, 36, from Okehampton, Devon, says: ‘I was a healthcare assistant to a community matron, but after six years I wanted to progress my career.’ The two-year training is hard work, adds Nicola.
‘You work in medical, surgical and community placements, and I liaised with psychiatry and the ambulance service. One day a week you attend university. I’m now on a hospital neurology ward.
‘I have extra responsibility and want to go for a nursing degree.’ You can become a nursing associate through a traineeship or apprenticeship, currently only in England. You need GCSEs grade 9 to 4 (A to C) or key skills level 2 in maths and English.
SEE healthcareers.nhs.uk, for vacancies see jobs.nhs.uk, find a course at nmc.org.uk.