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Nursing Associate Level 5 Foundation Degree Apprenticeship FdSc

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Information for 2025

About this course

The Level 5 Nursing Associate Foundation Degree Apprenticeship at Nottingham Trent University (NTU) is designed to prepare apprentices for a vital role in healthcare. Nursing associates work alongside registered nurses and other healthcare professionals, delivering high-quality, person-centred care across diverse settings. This apprenticeship combines academic study with hands-on experience, enabling apprentices to develop the practical skills and theoretical knowledge needed to make a meaningful impact in patient care.

Delivered in collaboration with healthcare employers, the programme ensures apprentices gain real-world experience while working towards a nationally recognised qualification. NTU’s expert teaching team, along with access to modern facilities, supports apprentices' learning journeys as they enhance their clinical abilities and deepen their understanding of healthcare principles. Accredited by the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC), this course meets professional standards and equips apprentices with the skills required to progress in their healthcare careers or further their studies to become registered nurses.

With NTU’s focus on practical learning, academic excellence, and collaboration with employers, this apprenticeship positions learners to thrive in a challenging and rewarding role within the healthcare sector.

  • 100% of our Level 5 Nursing Associate apprentices believe the course has improved their career prospects (National Student Survey, 2024).
  • NTU is rated the top-rated University provider of higher and degree apprenticeships in the UK (RateMyApprenticeship, 2024)
  • You'll taught by a dynamic team of lecturers who are also qualified nurses.
  • Our amazing facilities in the Centre for Health and Allied Professions allow you to learn effectively and become part of the NTU Nursing community.

Accreditation

Accredited by the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) this work-based apprenticeship course is designed for staff in employment across health and social care to meet the NMC standards of proficiency for nursing associates.

  • NMC Logo

What you’ll study

This course aims to provide a route to achieving the Foundation Degree [Higher] Apprenticeship for Nursing Associate by combining all the components required for this apprenticeship in a single, unified programme of study.

Professional Practice and Accountability (20 Credit Points)

  • This module introduces the role of the nursing associate and the NMC Code of professional standards of practice and behaviour, focusing on the professional identity and accountability, that accompanies professional registration.

Promoting Health and Wellbeing (20 Credit Points)

  • This module introduces the concept of health promotion and prevention of ill health to enable the population to improve and maintain their mental, physical and behavioural health and wellbeing.
  • Student nursing associates will explore aspects of practice, integrating theory and experimental learning to inform how they can take an active role in the promotion of health and prevention of ill-health.

Person Centred Care (20 Credit Points)

  • This module explores how to effectively work in partnership with people to provide compassionate, safe and effective care. The module will encourage trainee nursing associates to appraise person-centred care as part of work-based learning and consider necessary requirements when planning and delivering care for commonly encountered health conditions.

Applied Anatomy and Physiology (20 Credit Points)

  • This module introduces the trainee nursing associate to human development, anatomy and physiology to enable a more in-depth understanding of health and wellbeing across the lifespan.
  • Following an introduction to the fundamental concepts trainee nursing associates will be guided through the application of knowledge to the practice setting and common health conditions.

Essence of Care 1 (40 Credit Points)

  • This module introduces the knowledge, skills and behaviours which are required to be an effective, safe practitioner.
  • Trainee nursing associates will explore key concepts within social and behavioural sciences along with communication skills to enhance the effectiveness therapeutic interaction.

Managing Long Term Conditions (20 Credit Points)

  • This module explores the management of long-term conditions through the use of integrated systems and collaborative working with the multidisciplinary team. It considers the challenges of delivering person-centred care for people with multifaceted health needs and explores transition of care across services.

Leadership and Teamwork (20 Credit Points)

  • This module explores leadership styles, human factors and the effective prioritisation and delegation of tasks to assist trainee nursing associates work effectively as part of an interdisciplinary team. This module will combine the theoretical aspects of leadership and teamwork with opportunities to develop skills as part of work-based learning.

Supervision, Assessment and Communication (20 Credit Points)

  • This module focuses on the skills required to support learners and patients in practice. This module will develop the theoretical understanding of knowledge and skills required to supervise and provide feedback while providing opportunity to consolidate these skills as part of work-based learning.

Optimising Safety and Quality in Healthcare (20 Credit Points)

  • This module considers quality and safety in healthcare. The focus of the module is to develop understanding of risk assessment and quality improvement in practice to ensure quality care delivery remains a priority.

Essence of Care 2 (40 Credit Points)

  • This module builds on the knowledge and skills developed in year one. Module content provides opportunity to develop proficiency and competency in developing therapeutic interactions and the administration of medication. The combined approach of clinical skills sessions and work-based learning will enable trainee nursing associates to develop confidence in patient assessment and across a range of procedures.

Completing your Apprenticeship

To achieve the apprenticeship, all apprentices must complete an End-Point Assessment (EPA). The EPA is an independent assessment that ascertains whether an apprentice is competent in their occupation.

Gateway

Gateway is the period of time between the end of the off-the-job training (practical period) and the beginning of the assessment period when EPA will take place.

At Gateway, the apprentice, employer and training provider will review the apprentice’s knowledge, skills and behaviours to determine whether they are ready to take their EPA. This is normally done at a Gateway review meeting which takes place near the end of the apprenticeship. At this meeting, all three parties will check that the mandatory aspects of the apprenticeship have been completed and that the apprentice is ready to take their final assessment(s).

Apprentices must meet the Gateway requirement set out in the assessment plan before taking their EPA.

End-Point Assessment

This apprenticeship is integrated. This means that the end-point assessment is administered by Nottingham Trent University and is usually linked to the academic award that apprentices study whilst in their off-the-job training period.

Details of the assessment elements can be found in the assessment plan.

The end-point assessment for this apprenticeship standard is the examination board.

Successful completion of this apprenticeship will meet the education requirements for registration with the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC).

We regularly review and update our course content based on student and employer feedback, ensuring that all of our courses remain current and relevant. This may result in changes to module content or module availability in future years.

How you're taught

This apprenticeship is taught at NTU's Institute for Health and Allied Professionals at the Mansfield Hub in October and the Clifton Campus in January.

Delivered on a day-release basis , your learning will have a work-based focus, with a wide range of activities and methods. You'll attend for one full week of study at the beginning of each academic year and then regularly attend for one day per week alongside blended and independent learning activities for 44 weeks a year.

Placements

Across the two years, you will spend 460 hours on placement, and will also have 690 hours of Protected Learning Time.

Apprentices will access a wide variety of placements for 20 weeks over the two years to achieve the NMC programme hours and practice learning requirements. These placements will include experiences in adult, children’s, mental health and learning disability areas, across the lifespan in a variety of setting across community, hospital, primary and social care settings.

How you're assessed

This course integrates collaborative learning and uses a wide range of assessment methods to ensure that the course will be engaging and challenging. Throughout the course, the learning materials and assessments have a work-based focus, using case-studies, problem-based learning and blended learning methods to demonstrate how theory underpins health and social care practice.

Assessment methods include:

  • A Practice Assessment Document and Ongoing Achievement Record which will be in the format of an E-portfolio on a PebblePad platform
  • Essays
  • Reflective accounts
  • Objective structured clinical examination (OSCE)
  • Presentations
  • Academic posters
  • Multiple choice and short answer question exams
  • Professional discussion
  • Medication calculation exam

Careers and employability

If you’d like to know more about NTU’s groundbreaking Employability Promise, and the support you’ll receive both during and after your course, visit our Careers and Employability page.

Campus and facilities

You’ll mainly be studying in the purpose-built Health & Allied Professions (HAP) Centre.  The 34,000 square foot building features mock hospital wards, consultation and counselling rooms, creative teaching spaces and specialist equipment.

Our self-contained, community-focused Clifton Campus has been designed to keep our students busy between lectures. Catch-up with your coursemates in the Pavilion’s barista café and Refectory; brainstorm group presentations in chic and stylish study spaces; enjoy some proper R&R in The Point, home of our Students’ Union. The campus also hosts the multimillion-pound Clifton Sports Hub, offering great options for everyone — whatever your interests, and however competitive you’d like to get!

You’re also right next to the bright lights of Nottingham — one of Britain’s top 10 student cities, and one of Europe’s top 25. All through termtime, a dedicated on-campus bus service will get you to the heart of the action (and back) in under 25 minutes. You’ll find a city stuffed with history, culture, and well-kept secrets to discover at your leisure: enjoy lush green spaces, galleries, hidden cinemas and vintage shopping by day, and an acclaimed food, drink and social scene by night.

Take our virtual tour to get a real feel for the campus.

Entry requirements

UK students

Standard offer: GCSE grade 4/C or equivalent in Maths and English

Other requirements: Attend and complete an assessment day

International students

We will review your identity documents / immigration status to verify your residency eligibility in line with the apprenticeship funding rules, at the application stage.

Policies

We strive to make our admissions procedures as fair and clear as possible. To find out more about how we make offers, visit our admissions policies page.

Fees and funding

UK students

- see the fees for this course, as well as information about funding and support.

To undertake an apprenticeship, you must be employed. Your employer will pay your tuition fees.

If you or your employer have any questions regarding the fees and funding available for this apprenticeship, please see our Apprenticeships pages, email our Apprenticeships team, or call  +44 (0)115 848 2589.

International students

- see the fees for this course, as well as payment advice and scholarships.

To undertake an apprenticeship you must be employed. Your employer will pay your tuition fees.

We will review your identity documents / immigration status to verify your residency eligibility in line with the apprenticeship funding rules, at the application stage.

If you or your employer have any questions regarding the fees and funding available for this apprenticeship, please see our apprenticeships FAQs, contact our Apprenticeships team at apprenticeships@ntu.ac.uk, or call +44 (0)115 848 2589.

Additional costs

Your course fees cover the cost of studies and include loads of great benefits, such as the use of our library, support from our expert Employability team and free use of the IT equipment across our campuses. There are just a few additional things you may need to budget for:

Textbooks and library books

Most modules will recommend one or more core textbooks, which most students choose to purchase. Book costs vary and further information is available in the University’s bookshop. Our libraries provide a good supply of essential textbooks, journals and materials (many of which you can access online) - meaning you may not need to purchase as many books as you might think! There may also be a supply of second-hand books available for purchase from previous year students.

Printing and photocopying costs

The University allocates an annual printing and copying allowance of £20 depending on the course you are studying. For more details about costs for additional print and copying required over and above the annual allowance please see the printing and photocopying information on the Library website.

Field trips

All essential field trip costs will be included in your course fees. There may be the opportunity to take part in optional field trips, which do incur additional costs.

How to apply

Applications to this course can be made through NTU Applicant Portal.

To apply for this course, you must have secured your employer's agreement to support you through the degree apprenticeship course and have been allocated an architecturally qualified Employment Mentor from your place of work.

Firstly, your employer should contact our Apprenticeships team to discuss next steps in the applications process, and support available.

As part of your application, you’ll submit a personal statement. Tell us about your ambitions, skills and experience. You have 4,000 characters to impress us – here’s how to make your words count.

Writing your application

Be honest, thorough and persuasive in your application. Remember, we can only make a decision based on what you tell us. Make sure you include as much information as possible, including uploading evidence of results already achieved, as well as a personal statement.

Keeping up to date

After you’ve applied, we’ll be sending you important emails throughout the application process - so check your emails regularly, including your junk mail folder.

Getting in touch

If you need more help or support, you can call our Apprenticeship team on +44 (0)115 848 2589, or email apprenticeships@ntu.ac.uk.

Good luck with your application!

We will review your identity documents / immigration status to verify residency eligibility in line with the apprenticeship funding rules, at application stage.

Applications to this course can be made through NTU Applicant Portal.

To apply for this course, you must have secured your employer's agreement to support you through the degree apprenticeship course and have been allocated an architecturally qualified Employment Mentor from your place of work.

Firstly, your employer should contact our Apprenticeships team to discuss next steps in the applications process, and support available.

As part of your application, you’ll submit a personal statement. Tell us about your ambitions, skills and experience. You have 4,000 characters to impress us – here’s how to make your words count.

Writing your application

Be honest, thorough and persuasive in your application. Remember, we can only make a decision based on what you tell us. Make sure you include as much information as possible, including uploading evidence of results already achieved, as well as a personal statement.

Keeping up to date

After you’ve applied, we’ll be sending you important emails throughout the application process - so check your emails regularly, including your junk mail folder.

Getting in touch

If you need more help or support, you can call our Apprenticeship team on +44 (0)115 848 2589, or email apprenticeships@ntu.ac.uk.

Good luck with your application!