Is a nursing apprenticeship the same or as well recognised as a nursing degree?

[Clearv13w]

Are there any benefits to either?

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I'm a nursing lecturer, if you are referring to a registered nurse degree apprenticeship then you would come out with a degree and eligibility to register as a nurse, exactly the same as self funding student. There is usually a little bit more work to do for an apprenticeship, as you also have to demonstrate that you have met the apprenticeship requirements (not particularly arduous ime).
In terms of benefits, an apprenticeship means that you are paid during the programme and you will not have to pay tuition fees.

As above.

I can’t really understand why you wouldn’t do an apprenticeship now it’s becoming more widely offered!

If you're bumping a thread after 8 minutes, you'll need a lot more patience to work in nursing/healthcare.

Thanks HippyChickMama

Dd is going HCA work and apprenticeship was suggested. She was thinking of going to uni but guess apprenticeship sounds better. Just wanted to check it was the same qualification.

She will still go to uni, the NMC requires 2300 hours of theory alongside 2300 hours of placement. She will need to check with her employer that it's the RN degree apprenticeship they are offering, not the nurse associate foundation degree apprenticeship, which is different

Thankyou HippyChickMama she’s doing it at the local NHS hospital so you’d presume so, maybe not?

Actually she said she was told she’d do her nurse associates then do an extra 18 months training to be a registered nurse.

Which does that sound like?

A lot of trusts offer both the RNDA and the TNA. The trust would be her employer but the theory and assessment is done by a university (usually a local one but some offer online) but the studying and assessment will be at the same level as other nursing degree programmes.

The nurse associate foundation degree is usually two years and then some universities offer direct entry to the last 18 months of the nursing degree afterwards. It takes 6 months longer to do it that way, however, apprentices that follow that route do tend to do well. Her best bet is to talk to her trust's training and development department to find out which uni they use and then contact the apprenticeship department at the uni. They will be able to discuss specifics with her

I’d be cautious of the nursing associate route. Once she’s a qualified NA, there’s very little incentive for trusts to pay for her to upgrade to RN. I’ve heard of trusts training 200+ associates, then only offering funding for 10 places on the top up.

Ok that’s great to know. Wow no student debt!!!

MrsFionaCharming

Oh Thankyou for the warning. But could she still do it but with a student loan ie 1 less year of loans?

She would have to check with the uni but yes, the option to enter at the 18 month point would usually still be open to self funding students, thereby cutting her student debt in half. The nurse associate route is also good for students that may not have the UCAS points to do the degree straight off as it's a lower tariff

Great. She’s spent a lot of time in hospital herself. Was thinking of doing an access to uni course too as missed Alevels and wants a level 3 qualification. Thankyou so much for all the info.

DD considered this, but as a 19-year-old she would've had to stay at home to afford it, or if she had moved to share accommodation with random strangers and not be able to have the university structure and opportunities around her. I could see why she wanted to go to uni and she has thrived there, so a good decision for her. I think apprenticeships probably suit people who are happy to either live with parents or who are a bit older and settled.

DD is doing nurse associate as she didn't do A levels. In reality, there doesn't seem to be a huge amount that she's not doing in placements that nursing students are. She'll then work for a few months (one of her placements has said they want to offer her a role) and then do the top up. She's also registered with NHS professionals for HCA bank work whilst on the uni portions of her course.