Nursing Associate

The Nursing Associate role was created to bridge the gap between healthcare support workers and registered nurses, giving patients access to more consistent, skilled care across the full range of NHS and independent healthcare settings. Nursing Associates work under the supervision of registered nurses, carrying out a broad range of clinical tasks and providing the kind of sustained, attentive presence that makes a real difference to the quality of life and recovery of patients across all age groups. It is a role that demands both practical competence and genuine compassion, and the qualification is awarded on the basis of assessed practice as much as academic study.

At Coventry University, this two-year full-time Foundation Degree in Nursing Associate prepares you for registration with the Nursing and Midwifery Council as a Nursing Associate. You will study the principles of person-centred care, anatomy and physiology, pharmacology awareness, communication, safeguarding, and the legal and ethical frameworks that govern nursing practice. Alongside this academic grounding, a substantial proportion of your time is spent in practice placements across different healthcare settings, developing the hands-on clinical skills and professional behaviours that the role requires.

The typical entry tariff of 72 points reflects the programme's commitment to widening access to healthcare careers.

Qualified Nursing Associates work in hospitals, community settings, care homes, mental health services, GP practices, and a wide range of other healthcare environments. Many use the role as a stepping stone to full registration as a nurse, taking advantage of a shortened pathway to a nursing degree because of the professional experience and academic credit they have already accrued. Others build rewarding and progressive careers at the Nursing Associate grade, taking on supervisory and specialist responsibilities as their experience develops.