Nursing Associate FdSc Apprenticeship
Subject and course type
- Nursing and Midwifery
- Foundation
- Degree Apprenticeship
- Undergraduate
This apprenticeship course prepares you to become a qualified nursing associate. Enabling you to provide hands-on care and bridge the gap between healthcare support workers and registered nurses. With expert teaching and practical learning, Kingston University is the perfect place to start your healthcare career.
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Learn essential skills in Nursing
At Kingston University, you’ll develop the skills to thrive in this vital healthcare role, meeting the needs of patients and the public.
This two-year full-time apprenticeship combines employment-based learning with part-time university attendance. To apply, you must be employed as a healthcare support worker or in a similar role, with your employer's agreement to release you for placements and protected learning time. External placements, study days, and guided learning will build your practical and theoretical skills.
Upon completion, you’ll qualify as a Nursing Associate, equipped with specialist and transferable skills like medicines management, and gain diverse experience across various health and care settings to advance your career in the health and social care sector.
Why choose this course
Kingston University is an ideal choice to study a Nursing Associate apprenticeship. We’re ranked first in London (The Times Good University Guide 2025) and in the UK’s top 10 for General Nursing (The Guardian University Guide 2025). Our award-winning Nursing Associate Training Programme has been recognised with multiple Student Nursing Times Awards, including in 2024, 2023, and 2019.
Through diverse clinical placements, you’ll gain specialist skills in medicine management and hands-on experience across adult, child, mental health, and learning disabilities fields, preparing you for a successful and versatile nursing career.
This degree confers both an academic award and a professional qualification in nursing. On completion of the programme, students are recommended to the Nursing and Midwifery Council for professional registration.
We are ranked No.1 in London for General Nursing (The Times Good University Guide 2025).
Kingston is top 10 in the UK for General Nursing (The Guardian University Guide 2025).
Accreditation
This degree confers both an academic award and a professional qualification in nursing. On completion of the programme, students are recommended to the Nursing and Midwifery Council for professional registration.
Course content
This programme is designed to meet the NMC requirements for Nursing Associates. You will be supported to achieve the competencies, communication, relationship management skills and nursing procedures specified in the Standards of Proficiency for Nursing Associates (NMC 2018).
Year 1
Year 1 develops a broad understanding of the nursing associate knowledge base and enables the student to provide reasoned explanations of relevant issues.
Core modules
30 credits
This module addresses professional and personal development and runs longitudinally throughout Year 1. It integrates and applies skills, knowledge and values acquired in other modules and provides academic skills support and development throughout your first year of study. The principles and skills of reflection are introduced and practised.
The module also addresses wider issues known to influence successful study outcomes, such as wellbeing, resilience and support networks. This module will introduce you to Future Skills through engagement with Navigate. This module explores the application of the NMC Code (NMC, 2018) and the professional principles, values and skills required to safeguard vulnerable people, optimise the quality of care and enhance the experience of people accessing health and social care. The content explores the domains of ‘prioritising people', ‘practising effectively', ‘preserving safety' and ‘promoting professionalism and trust', as applied to a range of user groups.
30 credits
This module explores the foundations of human anatomy, physiology and pathophysiology relevant to healthcare practice. The content covers the body's key systems and processes, the mechanisms for maintaining homeostasis and an introduction to human development across the lifespan. The module also introduces selected pathophysiology associated with common disease processes in order to assist students contextualise their learning to their clinical settings.
30 credits
This module will enable the student to develop and apply a range of skills to the holistic assessment and monitoring of people within their care, documenting progress and reporting outcomes. Students will be introduced to the required skills and underpinning knowledge so that they can contribute to the ongoing assessment and recognise when it is necessary to escalate findings to other members of the multidisciplinary team for reassessment.
30 credits
This module will set healthcare in its wider social context, providing participants with an understanding of the various influences on health outcomes and inequalities, the relationship between mental and physical health, and their roles in promoting wellbeing. Effective communication skills for supporting people to manage their health and care will be explored.
Year 2
Year 2 promotes a more detailed understanding of the subject matter covered in Year 1, related theories and concepts, enabling students to provide substantiated arguments applied to relevant issues.
Core modules
30 credits
This module addresses professional and personal development and runs longitudinally throughout Year 1. It integrates and applies skills, knowledge and values acquired in other modules and provides academic skills support and development throughout your first year of study. The principles and skills of reflection are introduced and practised. The module also addresses wider issues known to influence successful study outcomes, such as wellbeing, resilience and support networks.
This module will introduce you to Future Skills through engagement with Navigate. This module explores the application of the NMC Code (NMC, 2018) and the professional principles, values and skills required to safeguard vulnerable people, optimise the quality of care and enhance the experience of people accessing health and social care. The content explores the domains of ‘prioritising people', ‘practising effectively', ‘preserving safety' and ‘promoting professionalism and trust', as applied to a range of user groups.
30 credits
This module builds on the Year 1 module: Skills for Healthcare Practice 1. The module will enhance students' knowledge of the different approaches used to assess and promote a person's health and wellbeing, and to identify those who are at risk. Students will continue to develop the knowledge and core skills required for safe, effective assessment and care management within the practice setting.
30 credits
This module enables students to develop the knowledge and skills necessary to deliver safe, effective, compassionate, evidence-based, person-centred care when a person's condition is deteriorating. The module builds on students' knowledge of anatomy and physiology. It will equip them to recognise people who are at risk of deteriorating mental and physical health, undertake timely structured assessments, provide appropriate interventions and care across the lifespan and in a variety of settings.
30 credits
This module will introduce students to the principles of working with people across the lifespan who live with complex and/or long-term conditions (LTC's) in primary and/or secondary care settings.
Future Skills and career opportunities
This programme opens doors to a rewarding career as a Nursing Associate, a vital role within the health and social care sector. You’ll gain the skills and confidence to provide exceptional patient care, making a real difference in people’s lives.
Additionally, this programme provides a pathway to further education, with the potential to progress to a shortened nursing degree course. Whether you’re starting your journey or advancing in your profession, this course equips you with the expertise to thrive in a fulfilling healthcare career.
At Kingston University, we're not just keeping up with change, we're creating it
For more information on how Kingston prepares you for the future job market, visit our Future Skills page.
Teaching and assessment
This programme enables you to develop a broad understanding of care needs, relevant to all fields of nursing. It equips you to identify holistic needs and deliver care to a diverse range of individuals. There is an emphasis on the relationship between physical and mental health care throughout the lifespan, and the wider influences on health and wellbeing.
The integration of theory and practice is achieved through learning, teaching and assessment strategies which require you to reflect on your experiences in practice. Nursing knowledge and evidence are applied to these experiences, with an increasing depth of discussion and analysis as you progress through the course.
You will learn through lectures, seminars and online work in our Virtual Learning Environment (CANVAS). You will also participate in tutorials, workshops, conferences and project work. Your learning in the simulation suite will help you relate theory to practice.
The programme is offered through day release, and blocks of external placement practice. During your on-the-job learning, you will be working as a trainee nursing associate carrying out activities relevant to the clinical area you are working in.
When not attending timetabled sessions, you will be expected to continue learning independently through self-study. This typically will involve reading journal articles and books, working on individual and group projects, undertaking coursework assignments, and preparing and giving presentations. Your independent learning is supported by a range of excellent facilities including online resources, the library and CANVAS, the online virtual learning platform.
Our academic support team here at Kingston University provides help in a range of areas.
When you arrive, we'll introduce you to your personal tutor. This is the member of academic staff who will provide academic guidance, support you throughout your time at Kingston and show you how to make the best use of all the help and resources that we offer at Kingston University.
Year 1
| Activity | Hours |
|---|---|
| Scheduled learning and teaching | 248 |
| Placement and simulation skills | 487.5 |
| Guided independent study (self-managed time) | 772 |
Year 2
| Activity | Hours |
|---|---|
| Scheduled learning and teaching | 248 |
| Placement and simulation skills | 487.5 |
| Guided independent study (self-managed time) | 772 |
Please note: To meet Nursing and Midwifery Council requirements, all apprentices will be supernumerary of their practice placements, which will not be at their usual workplace.
There are a range of assessment types including examinations, coursework and practical assessments in both the Clinical Skills and Simulation Suite and the workplace. The assessments are staged throughout the academic year to ensure coherence and an even, manageable workload.
Practice is assessed through successful completion of the practice assessment document and objective structured clinical assessments (OSCAs), in conjunction with successful sign-off in practice by a practice assessor and an academic assessor at the end of Years 1 and 2. Students require a pass in both theory and practice to achieve their final award.
Year 1
- Coursework: 50%
- Practical: 25
- Exams: 25%
Year 2
- Coursework: 80%
- Practical: 20%
We aim to provide feedback to you on your assessments within 20 working days.
Your individualised timetable is normally available to students within 48 hours of enrolment. Whilst we make every effort to ensure timetables are as student-friendly as possible, scheduled teaching can take place on any day of the week between 9am and 6pm.
End-Point Assessment
Each apprentice on an approved Apprenticeship Standard is required to take an End-Point Assessment (EPA) to complete the programme. The EPA is delivered by an End-Point Assessment Organisation (EPAO) that is registered with the Education and Skills Funding Agency (ESFA).
The EPA is either integrated as part of the apprenticeship or completed after the course element. If an apprentice is completing the EPA after the course element, they must ensure they have successfully completed their learning, achieved the gateway requirements and finished uploading their evidence prior to taking the EPA.
Fees and funding
This degree apprenticeship programme is funded through the Government's Apprenticeship Levy within the approved funding band.
Additional course costs
Some courses may require additional costs beyond tuition fees. When planning your studies, you’ll want to consider tuition fees, living costs, and any extra costs that might relate to your area of study.
Your tuition fees include costs for teaching, assessment and university facilities. So your access to libraries, shared IT resources and various student support services are all covered. Accommodation and general living expenses are not covered by these fees.
Where applicable, additional expenses for your course may include:
Our libraries have an extensive collection of books and journals, as well as open-access computers and laptops available to rent. However, you may want to buy your own computer or personal copies of key textbooks. Textbooks may range from £50 to £250 per year. And a personal computer can range from £100 to £3,000 depending on your course requirements.
While most coursework is submitted online, some modules may require printed copies. You may want to allocate up to £100 per year for hard-copies of your coursework. It’s worth noting that 3D printing is never compulsory. So if you choose to use our 3D printers, you’ll need to pay for the material. This ranges from 3p per gram to 40p per gram.
Kingston University will pay for all compulsory field trips. Fees for optional trips can range from £30 to £350 per trip.
Your tuition fees don’t cover travel costs. To save on travel costs, you can use our free intersite bus service. This route links the campuses and halls of residence with local train stations - Surbiton, Kingston upon Thames, and Norbiton.
Courses involving placements or direct work with vulnerable groups may require a DBS check or other security checks.
Next steps
Employees
If you are currently employed full time and would like to find out more about apprenticeships, please ask your employer to contact the Kingston University apprenticeship team.
Employers
If you are an employer interested in how apprenticeships can support your organisation and employees, please contact the apprenticeship team for further details.
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Course changes and regulations
The information on this page reflects the currently intended course structure and module details. To improve your student experience and the quality of your degree, we may review and change the material information of this course. Find out more about course changes
Programme Specifications for the course are published ahead of each academic year.
Regulations governing this course can be found on our website.
