Nursing Times [online]; 115: 10, 21-24. 16 September 2019
- This article looks at the experience of a small critical care unit in North Devon in taking on an nursing associate trainee.
Abstract
The role of nursing associate (NA) was originally created as a generic nursing role to bridge the gap between healthcare assistants and registered nurses. When it was launched, there was no guidance on how it could be incorporated into specialist areas of nursing such as critical care; however, this meant there was freedom to tailor its training to area-specific needs. This article looks at the experience of a small critical care unit in North Devon in taking on an NA trainee. It explores the background of the new role, the challenges faced and the development of skills priorities specific to critical care. This early experience is encouraging, but it is still too early to determine the overall value of NAs, and their future in critical care is an open book. For NAs to thrive in that setting, their role will need to be incorporated into national competency frameworks and standards for safe staffing.
The role of nursing associate (NA) was originally created as a generic nursing role to bridge the gap between healthcare assistants and registered nurses. When it was launched, there was no guidance on how it could be incorporated into specialist areas of nursing such as critical care; however, this meant there was freedom to tailor its training to area-specific needs. This article looks at the experience of a small critical care unit in North Devon in taking on an NA trainee. It explores the background of the new role, the challenges faced and the development of skills priorities specific to critical care. This early experience is encouraging, but it is still too early to determine the overall value of NAs, and their future in critical care is an open book. For NAs to thrive in that setting, their role will need to be incorporated into national competency frameworks and standards for safe staffing.
