Trainee nursing associate?

[Wombatbum]

Posting for traffic. I’m finding my job difficult at the moment. I’ve always wanted to be a nurse and have come across a trainee nursing associate job. Just wondering if anyone has done this or knows anything about it? I’m under the impression it’s between a health care assistant and a nurse, is it worth doing and could I then train to be a nurse?

Hi, what is your current job? If you're a HCA then yes that's a good step up, there are certain levels of qualifications you will need to be considered, followed by an interview to see if you are suitable. If you get past that you then have to take maths, english and IT tests to see where your current level of understanding is with that. I started in October and it is very difficult working and studying but I'm confident that it will be worth it in the end!

Hi, I'm in hospital currently and have 1st year nursing associates as part of those looking after us. From what I've gathered it's a good way of going into work earlier (nurses seem to do placement in 2nd yr) having a qualification that allows bank work, and higher pay levels if moonlighting in care work, and learning on the job as much as in the classrom. The one's I've talked to here are all planning on doing standard nursing training later (mainly when when they've made some money) A couple have visable disabilities and are effectively proving their competance in order to bypass issues.They're all invaluable, lovely, and seem to be doing what used to be the role of auxilary nurse. They do noticeably work hard, but seem less stressed and under different pressures from the standard trainee nurses.

@Elleherd student nurses do practical placement in their first year, always have done.

I'm a nursing associate been qualified 3 years
Happy to answer any questions I can

What job do you do now? I would try and join the Bank as a HCA in a hospital firstly. The thing is with nursing roles/HCA people will advise you upon their experience I've been lucky I have worked 8 years on a cardiology admissions ward and whilst busy and fast pace it did have independent patients at times. I now work in outpatients as a HCA again completely different and the work load is a bloody dream in comparison to some of the heavier wards I bank on.

cheshirecatsmile can I ask - are you happy in your role? Was it worth the study/placements/stress!? Was your employer backing you? Mine seems to have no idea what it entails - I think it's so new to them that they really have no idea...I've been a HCA for 18 years - I'm 56, on a very low wage so NA wage will help - but 56! I'm worn out..and that's just from work..

The ones I have worked with have basically been used as cheaper nurses, they've all ended up going onto do their nursing degree top up as they were basically doing the job near enough anyway! In my trust managing 9 patients, controlled drugs, IV drugs, syringe drivers, complex and unwell. Benefits being that you are paid a wage as you train!

I did mine as an apprenticeship which I'm gathering all trusts do.
Support from the trust was really good. We were the 2nd cohort and did a presentation to the trust board to prove how necessary we were (due to low band 5)
I've just helped interview cohort 6. By the time they qualified there will be 30 of us in the trust , a&e, ward based, community.
It was a fantastic experience and opportunities that I would do again in a heartbeat.
I'm ward based , work with another RNA. It's hard and you've got to be on your toes.
We have the opportunity now if a top up, but at present I'm happy doing what I'm doing.
A lady in our cohort was 53 when she qualified.

The nmc website has information for the trust and yourselves. Check the standards of proficiency for nursing associates.
HEE (who did our course) also have some good info.
The course is now run by the NMC

Any further questions happy to answer.