NS5000 - Practice 2: Transition to registered nursing associate practice

Module teaching will be delivered via a range of strategies. At university you will engage in seminars and workshops and have access to the BlackBoard Ultra, where you will find a range of learning materials such as PowerPoint presentations, Panopto recordings, videos, workbooks and digital educational resources. In addition, you will spend 50% of your programme in practice placements consolidating your learning.

You will be empowered to become an independent learner through engagement with an evolving curriculum meeting the needs of individuals and families through innovation and the delivery of best practice. You will be expected to engage in self-directed study that helps construct knowledge in preparation for you to become a dynamic, safe and caring professional.

In practice you will learn under the supervision of practice supervisors and practice assessors, who will support you to engage in learning opportunities that will enable you to achieve NMC (2024) Standards of proficiency for nursing associates.

Your learning environment, both in university and practice, will provide you with the opportunity to understand the theoretical background and rationale behind the practice you experience on your placement. This will be enhanced by developing your clinical and reflective skills linking theory and practice.

On this module close collaboration between the university and practice placement areas will continue to provide you with a robust supportive network, commensurate with the requirements of the NMC (2023) Standards for student supervision and assessment. You will be supported by your Practice Supervisor, Practice Assessor, Academic Assessor, Practice Learning Tutors (PLT) and the module team as required, to continue your professional development throughout the final year of your programme. You will continue to meet regularly with your personal tutor who will provide appropriate pastoral support and sign post you to relevant academic guidance. You will be encouraged to access BlackBoard Ultra (BlackBoard Ultra), where you will find a range of learning materials to support you with module learning and formative/summative assessments. The student support and wellbeing service at Northumbria are excellent points of contact for assistance with queries regarding disability, faith, counselling, mental health support, finance and welfare issues. You can access these services via email on your student portal, by telephone or through the ask4help desk staff based within university libraries. Further details of practice support can be found via the relevant link in the appropriate section of your programme handbook which is located on BlackBoard Ultra.

All modules at Northumbria include a range of reading materials that students are expected to engage with. The reading list for this module can be found at: http://readinglists.northumbria.ac.uk
(Reading List service online guide for academic staff this containing contact details for the Reading List team – http://library.northumbria.ac.uk/readinglists)

Knowledge & Understanding:

1. Identify, assess, and apply evidence-based research to improve clinical practice, incorporating public health principles and health promotion strategies to enhance patient outcomes across diverse care settings
2. Demonstrate an understanding of the legal and ethical complexity relating to the management of risk in healthcare.
3.Demonstrate understanding of the holistic and complex care needs of a range of diverse patients across a variety of health and social care contexts.

Intellectual / Professional skills & abilities:
4. Practise safely and have an awareness of your own limitations, demonstrating increasing independence when performing a range of practical skills.
5. Demonstrate collaborative working skills with service users, carers and other professionals, monitoring how collaboration improves patient safety.
6. Apply the skills of reflection in relation to risk assessment, prioritising/delegating workload and the implementation of safe practice when considering issues and incidents emerging from practice.
7.Demonstrate the ability to recognise and assess the needs of individuals and families at risk, applying independent critical thinking and decision-making while effectively using written, digital, and numeracy skills in professional practice


Personal Values Attributes (Global / Cultural awareness, Ethics, Curiosity) (PVA):
8. Demonstrate integrity and an ability to work within recognised ethical and legal frameworks, ensuring adherence to promoting professionalism and preserving patient safety.
9.Demonstrate and understand the personal attributes and behaviours that promote effective team working within inter-professional practice across diverse and complex environments.
10. Think independently, understand and justify your own opinions, recognising the need to challenge your thinking, and the thinking of others.

You will be continuously supervised in your practice placements; this will generate feedback for your assessments.

Formative Assessment:
You will undertake a variety of assessments, identified in the electronic nursing associate practice assessment document (ePAD), which include episodes of care, medication assessments, written reflections and service user/patient feedback, which will feed into the summative assessment.

At the end of each placement, you will reflect on your practice development and review your progress with your Practice Supervisor and Practice Assessor (MLO’s 1-10)

Summative Assessment:

Summative Assessment of Practice – In the final placement of the second year, following feedback from your Practice Supervisors, a pass/fail will be awarded by your Practice Assessor and Academic Assessor against the proficiencies and evidence in the ePAD.
(MLO’s 1-10)

Completion of L4

N/A

This practice module, aligned with the NMC (2024) Standards of proficiency for nursing associates, spans the second year and helps you transition toward registered nursing associate practice. It builds on the foundations of year one by advancing skills in providing evidence-based, person-centred care for diverse patients with complex health and social needs. The module emphasises key competencies, such as working with multidisciplinary teams, contributing to decision-making, improving patient safety, and adhering to ethical and legal frameworks. You will also learn to support junior colleagues, manage workloads, and delegate tasks. Self-directed learning, reflective practice, and engagement in inter-professional learning opportunities will enhance your professional growth. By completing this module, you will meet NMC requirements, including professional values, mandatory proficiencies, annexe skills, and assessments, preparing you to practice with increasing independence and confidence.