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Identifying the different healthcare settings and specialities supporting the trainee nursing associate role.

Researchers

• Joanne Brooke
• Victoria Skerrett
• Cathy Poole
• Kathryn Sethi
• Katy Sutherland

Research background

The nursing听associate role was introduced by听Health Education in England in 2017, with the aim to bridge the gap听and create a new tier听between health care assistants/support workers and registered nurses,听to address the shortages of registered nurses and to听provide an alternative听route听to听access the听registered nurse programme.听

The Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) are the official regulator for nursing associates.听Trainee nursing associates (TNAs)听complete a two-year programme, which requires them to be exposed to multi-disciplinary working and听is designed to give them the ability to work in a variety of听settings with a range of population听groups and conditions.听

The programme consists of one day a week听studying at university, one day a week in placement, and the remaining hours in their usual workplace, although with听protected hours for further learning.听The听nursing associate听national training programme contains eight key domains:听

1. Professional values and parameters of practice听
2. Person-centred approaches to care听
3. Delivery care听
4. Communication and interpersonal skills听
5. Team working and leadership听
6. Duty of care, candour, equality and diversity听
7. Supporting learning and assessment in practice听听
8. Research, development and innovation听

An initial evaluation of the听training and development of听the nursing associate programme was听commissioned by Health Education England, which听identified听the impact of nursing associates within clinical practice听and the听clear benefits and challenges听(Vanson听and Beckett, 2018).

Benefits included:听

• TNAs had moved听away from a task-based role, towards a role that is more patient and outcomes-focused;
• TNAs听were听exchanging听skills and practice with colleagues in听different settings;听therefore,听reportedly leading to immediate improvements in the听quality of care听provided;听听
• TNAs showed an听increased assertiveness and self-belief on听placements and听sought听seeking out learning opportunities;听听
• TNAs new skills and听knowledge听enabled them to bring听additional capacity to听their听team and听workplace.听听

However, challenges included:

• TNAs were not always sure about what tasks they could and could not do due to a lack of parameters for this new role;听听
• TNAs were on occasion still being viewed as healthcare support workers;听听
• TNAs reported some staff and colleagues felt threatened by this new role (Vanson听and Beckett, 2018).听听

Research aims

The aim of this study is to听identify the different听healthcare听settings听and specialities听supporting the听nursing听associate听role听and to explore trainee nursing听associates鈥櫶齟xperiences and expectations, both present and future.听

The objectives of this study are:听

• Identify the different healthcare settings and specialities supporting implementing the nursing听associate programme听
• To听begin听to understand the perspective of TNAs regarding their听role,听experiences,听and expectations, both present and future听听
• Development of a questionnaire to explore the role of nursing associates,听experiences,听and expectations听
• Identify similarities and differences of the nursing听associate role across different healthcare settings

How has the research been carried out?

A sequential mixed methods study, collecting both qualitative and quantitative data, qualitative data will be collected through the implementation of focus groups with TNAs, these will be constructed to bring together TNAs from similar healthcare settings to explore their role, experiences and expectations, both present and future.

Qualitative data will be analysed to understand TNAs role, experiences, and expectations, which will inform the development of a quantitative questionnaire.

All TNAs at BCU will then be provided with the opportunity to complete the questionnaire, this approach will support the understanding of TNAs role, experiences, and expectations on a larger scale.

Outcomes and impact

The results and methods applied in this study will be applicable, informative, and useful for all involved in supporting and delivering the nursing associate programme, and the development of this role across different health specialities.