FdSc Nursing Associate (Higher Apprenticeship Route)

• A level 2 or level 3 qualification in health and social care is desirable, but not essential.
• Applicants should have at least two GCSEs at grade C or above or grade 4 to 9 (or equivalent), preferably including English and Mathematics. If an applicant does not have GCSE English or Mathematics at grade C/4, an equivalent such as Functional Skills Level 2 in Literacy or Numeracy is acceptable. Please contact apprentices@bolton.ac.uk for a list of acceptable GCSE equivalents, further information and support.
• Each candidate will be considered and selected on an individual basis by both the employer and academic staff.
• Qualifications gained outside England and Wales will be assessed on an individual basis according to guidance by the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC).
• After successful short-listing, applicants will be invited to take part in our values-based recruitment process that involves a face-to-face interview with practice staff and an academic tutor. Applicants will be assessed on their values, behaviours, communication and problem-solving skills, and undertake a numeracy and literacy assessment. Interviews will be undertaken within the employing organisation.
• Applicants who are successful at the interview stage will be asked to undergo occupational health screening and a Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check by their employing organisation.
• Applicants must satisfactorily pass occupational health screening.
• Applicants will need to demonstrate that they are of good health and good character prior to enrolment and on an on-going basis throughout their studies and career.
• We’ll also require the completion of Higher Apprenticeship employer documentation prior to your employee’s commencement of the course.
• Recognition of prior learning (RPL) route may be used for entry – RPL must be capable of being mapped to the NMC standards of proficiency for nursing associates and programme outcomes up to a maximum of 50% of the programme. This maximum limit of 50% does not apply to applicants to the programme who are currently a NMC registered nurse without restrictions on their practice.
• This course involves regulated activity so applicants must gain an Enhanced Disclosure certificate from the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) before starting their studies. Charges are payable to cover the cost of the DBS Enhanced Disclosure application and annual registration with the online Update Service.
• Admission to this programme is only available to applicants who meet ESFA eligibility criteria, including the following: 1) They are employed for a minimum of 30 hours per week in a role relevant to the apprenticeship. 2) They have valid residency status and the right to work in England and can provide a valid BRP card (valid beyond the end date of the programme including End-Point Assessment (EPA)), and a ‘Right to Work’ share code for validation. 3) Their employer is willing to sponsor them to spend a minimum of six hours per week of their time in off-the-job training, including attending the University (times and dates to be determined) for the duration of their course. Please note that an apprentice cannot be self-employed. ESFA eligibility criteria may change so please contact apprentices@bolton.ac.uk for up-to-date information.
• If English isn’t the applicant's first language, they will also need IELTS 6.0 with no less than 5.5 in any band (or equivalent). We also accept a range of other English language qualifications – please visit our English Language Requirements web page for more details.
• To be eligible for tuition fee funding through the Apprenticeship Levy, candidates should not normally have already completed a qualification at the same level as the proposed apprenticeship, unless that qualification was gained in a completely unrelated discipline.
• Please note that this course is subject to the University of Bolton's Fitness to Practise procedure.

Where changes are made to material information contained in this course description or a decision is taken to suspend a course between the offer of admissions and enrolment, we will inform applicants at the earliest possible opportunity and will outline the various options available to the applicant.

A nursing associate is a member of the nursing team who provides care and support for patients and service users under the supervision of a registered nurse. The role is designed to address a skills gap between health care assistants and registered nurses.

Nursing associates are trained to work with people of all ages and in a variety of settings. It’s intended that the role will enable registered nurses to focus on more complex clinical duties.

Once qualified and registered, nursing associates will give care in a range of settings within health and social care. Like nurses and other health professionals, they may expand their scope of practice through further education and experience.

What can I do with this qualification?

The Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) is the legal regulator for nursing associates.

Candidates who successfully complete the end-point assessment for this TNA apprenticeship will be able to apply to join the nursing associate part of the NMC’s register.

Successful TNA apprentices will be awarded the FdSc Nursing Associate from the University of Bolton and can apply for an apprenticeship certificate from the relevant apprenticeship certification body.

Apprentices will not be expected to pay tuition fees towards this programme. If your organisation has a wage bill of more than £3 million per annum, then it may be able to fund this apprenticeship through its Apprenticeship Levy contributions. If your organisation does not pay the levy, it will be eligible for government support to fund apprenticeships. This support, called co-investment, covers 95% of the apprenticeship's tuition fees, with your organisation funding the remaining 5% of the fees.

Home/EU Fees

Apprentices will need to be employed by your organisation for a minimum of 30 hours per week. Your organisation will also need to commit to sponsoring apprentices to complete this qualification.

For further information on how your organisation can access funds to support apprentices, please e-mail apprentices@bolton.ac.uk.

Whether you’re an employer, employee or school leaver, please visit our Apprenticeship web page for support and advice regarding apprenticeships.

International Fees

International applications are not possible for this course

As an international student you are not allowed to study this course because of the restrictions on your visa.

We offer a wide range of full-time courses in lots of different subjects, many of our courses start in September and January. If you would like to see what courses are available please visit our Course Search.

Bursaries

Click here for more information about the scholarships and bursaries available to University of Bolton students.

There are no bursaries associated with this programme.

Important note regarding tuition fees for the 2024-25 academic year: EU nationals who meet residency requirements (have settled or pre-settled status) may be eligible for 'Home' fee status. If you do not meet these residency requirements, overseas fees will apply. Irish citizens living in the UK or Ireland will be eligible for 'Home' fee status under the Common Travel Area arrangement. Please read the student finance for EU students web page on www.gov.uk for information.

The fees for a student's course of study will be set for the normal duration of that course subject only to inflationary increases – measured by the Consumer Price Index (CPI) recorded in March each year to take effect for subsequent start dates.

The nursing associate role is diverse and multi-faceted, so we use a wide range of teaching and learning methods. These are designed to fully engage TNA apprentices, helping them to develop the skills, knowledge, self-awareness, values and behaviours essential to become a nursing associate, with particular reference to your organisation and their place within it. Learning focuses on your workplace environment so that TNAs build the competencies demanded by the role and learn to apply this expertise within your organisation. Your TNAs will spend a significant amount of their time in the workplace, with the rest of their time being devoted to off-the-job training and University learning. This balance is designed to meet the requirements of both the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) and the Education and Skills Funding Council (ESFA).

Our tutors are research active and teaching is underpinned by rigorous research. Teaching methods will include lectures, presentations, simulations and practise of skills in our simulation suite, seminar discussions, small group workshops, small group tutorials and one-to-one tutorials.

As well as attending timetabled sessions, TNAs will also be expected to allocate significant time to independent and self-directed studies. For example, background reading, preparing for seminars, working on assignments and revising for exams will support their timetabled learning and help develop the skills required for lifelong learning. Our friendly and supportive tutors will be here to guide them, and will gladly help them devise an independent study regime focused on their individual development needs. Learning will also be supported by the University's virtual learning environment, Moodle.

The assessment strategy for the programme is designed to ensure that TNAs achieve the overall aims and learning outcomes of the programme, as well as the learning outcomes for individual modules. The assessment of practice and theory contributes to the final award. All assessments in practice (practice assessment documentation (PAD) and portfolio) must be passed before a TNA can progress to the next stage/term/year and completion of the programme. In addition to the assessments associated with the foundation degree programme, TNA apprentices will undertake an end-point assessment, at the end of the TNA apprenticeship period.

TNAs will be assessed using a range of methods, including essays, reports, presentations, objective structured clinical examinations (OSCE), traditional examinations and assessment of practice within the practice setting. Some assessments contribute to their final module marks, while others are designed to help them identify their strengths and weaknesses, and where they need to seek extra support from course tutors.

Your organisation will need to provide each TNA apprentice with a workplace assessor to support their development. They will also benefit from regular visits from a University or satellite nursing centre nursing lecturer or work-based apprenticeship trainer (WBAT). The practice assessor, nursing lecturer or WBAT and TNA apprentice will work together to create the individual learning plan required to ensure the TNA’s progress.

Modules

The modules listed below may be a mixture of compulsory and optional. You may not have the opportunity to study all the modules shown as part of the course.

• Principles of Nursing Associate Practice
• Anatomy and Physiology and the Foundations of Medicines Management
• Wider Approaches to Promoting Health and Preventing Ill Health
• Recognising Acute Physical and Mental Health and Illness for Nursing Associate Practice
• Contributing to Integrated Care for People With Complex Needs and Associated Medicines Management
• Enhancing Skills: Developing Leadership, Knowledge and Evidence Based Practice for the Nursing Associate

Assessment methods

Level	Assessment method
Level 1	Coursework 60% Practical exams 25% Written exams 15%
Level 2	Coursework 28% Practical exams 62% Written exams 10%

Learning Activities

Level	Activity
Level 1	Guided independent study 40% Placement/study abroad 50% Scheduled learning and teaching activities 10%
Level 2	Guided independent study 40% Placement/study abroad 50% Scheduled learning and teaching activities 10%

The university will use all reasonable endeavours to deliver your course as described in its published material and the programme specification for the academic year in which you begin your course. The university considers changes to courses very carefully and the university will minimise any changes. Please be aware that our courses are subject to review on an ongoing basis and changes may be necessary due to legitimate staffing, financial, regulatory and academic reasons. The content of course modules and mode of associated assessments may be updated on an annual basis. This is to ensure that all modules are up-to-date and responsive to employment and sector needs. The published course material and the programme specification contain indicative ‘optional modules’ that may be subject to change due to circumstances outside of our control. For this reason, we cannot guarantee to run any specific optional module.