Student Nursing Associate

NHS; Exeter; On-site; GBP 10,000 - 40,000; Full time

Job summary

An established clinical employer is seeking dedicated individuals for a two-year Nursing Associate program. This role combines academic study and hands-on experience in various healthcare settings, including a leading palliative care unit. Participants will develop essential skills and knowledge to provide compassionate care while working alongside experienced nursing staff. Upon completion, you will be eligible to register with the Nursing and Midwifery Council. This is a unique opportunity to grow within a supportive environment that values professional development and personal growth. Join a team committed to making a difference in the lives of individuals facing challenging times.

Benefits

NHS pension transfer

Wellbeing and mental health support

Free parking

Qualifications

• Commitment to complete a two-year program with academic ability.
• Demonstrable experience in healthcare support roles is essential.

Responsibilities

• Assist Registered Nurses in delivering patient care across various settings.
• Complete placements to gain diverse healthcare experience.

Skills

Time Management

Communication Skills

Interpersonal Skills

Autonomy

Adaptability

Education

GCSE level education including maths and English

Level 3 qualification in Health and Social Care

Foundation Degree Programme

Job description

You must be committed and self-motivated to complete the two-year program and have the academic ability to study at the required level. In return, you will work for a leading clinical employer in the region and receive numerous employee benefits, including transferring your NHS pension, wellbeing and mental health support, and free parking.

Main duties of the job

If you're a healthcare professional in a support role seeking the next step in your career, this opportunity might be perfect for you.

You will participate in a structured program that combines academic study with work-based learning, covering physical, psychological, and public health aspects of care from pre-conception to end of life. Over two years, you will be based in Hospiscare's 8-bed Inpatient Unit in Exeter and complete placements in Hospiscare's community services and various other organizations, gaining diverse healthcare experience.

Upon successful completion of the program, you will be eligible to apply for registration with the Nursing and Midwifery Council and work as a Nursing Associate alongside existing nursing support staff and fully qualified Registered Nurses at Hospiscare.

About us

Hospiscare has been supporting people in Exeter, Mid and East Devon with terminal illnesses for over 40 years. Our services include support at home, a specialist palliative care ward, out-patients clinics, and supportive therapies.

We support close to 2,200 local people each year, in some of the hardest times possible. As a local charity, we raise around £10 million each year to continue to provide our care. Our staff, volunteers and supporters help us to care for people when they're most in need, no matter what their individual circumstances may be.

We're proud to be rated as 'five star' by patients and families and as 'outstanding' by the Care Quality Commission, to have been awarded a Mind Bronze Award for wellbeing at work and to be a Disability Confident employer.

Job responsibilities

Job Title: Student Nursing Associate

Band: 3

Hours: Full time, 37.5/week, 5 days out of 7 including rotation to nights

Team/Directorate: Clinical Services

Responsible To: Ward Manager

Accountable to: Head of Inpatient Services and Clinical Quality

Job Purpose

To work towards successful completion of a Foundation Degree (Level 5) in Healthcare Practice over two years.

To undertake placements within Hospiscare and other organisations in order to gain the required variety of healthcare experience to complete the programme.

To assist existing Registered Nurses and nursing support staff as part of the multi-disciplinary teams delivering patient care across a wide range of healthcare settings.

Key Result Areas/Principal Duties and Responsibilities

Main Responsibilities

• Work towards successful completion of a Foundation Degree (Level 5) in Healthcare Practice over two years in order to be equipped with the knowledge, understanding, skills, attitudes and behaviours relevant for employment as a Nursing Associate with Hospiscare, registered with the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC).
• Deliver high quality, compassionate care under the direction of registered care professionals in order to meet the direct needs of individuals and to promote health and independence.
• Attend the Nursing Associate Training Programme in order to take responsibility for developing own clinical competence, leadership and reflective practice skills within the workplace.
• Develop the ability to work without direct supervision, to deliver care independently in line with an individual's defined care plan, within the parameters of practice of the Nursing Associate role, accessing clinical and care advice when needed.
• Work in an effective and organised manner demonstrating excellent time management and organisational skills to effectively deliver person-centred care for an allocated group of individuals.
• Develop skills in order to deliver coaching/teaching to individuals, carers and other staff.
• Recognise issues relating to safeguarding vulnerable children and adults in order to report any problems or raise concerns to the appropriate registered care professionals.
• Assist in the assessment of and contribute to the management of risk across several areas within the environment to ensure the appropriate care is being administered.
• Develop a working knowledge of other providers' resources and referral systems to ensure individuals' needs are met, within parameters of practice.

Infection Prevention and Control

Maintaining a safe environment for patients, visitors and employees is everyone's responsibility. All staff are required to adhere to Hospiscare's Infection Prevention and Control Policy and make every effort to maintain high standards of infection prevention and control at all times. This includes ensuring personal and team compliance with all relevant policies and procedures, and acting upon or reporting any identified risks.

Disclosure and Barring Service

This role requires a Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) Enhanced level check with Adults and Children Barred Lists.

Key Contacts

Internal:

• Inpatient Unit team
• Community Teams
• Supportive Care Services
• Head of Inpatient Services and Clinical Quality
• Director of Clinical Services
• Medical team
• Clinical Administration
• Learning and Development team
• Volunteers

External:

• Patients and those close to them
• University of Plymouth (Apprenticeship provider)
• Colleagues in placement organisations

Health & Safety

Ensure that Health and Safety guidelines and fire regulations are strictly adhered to and comply with safe working practices as defined by Hospiscare.

Complete online training as and when required and take reasonable care for your own health and safety and that of others who may be affected by acts or omissions at work.

Report any accidents, incidents or near misses as soon as reasonably practicable.

Manage own work life balance and general wellbeing, including any relevant pressures in respect of lone working, travel, difficult environments and challenging situations.

General

Be aware of and adhere to Hospiscare policies and procedures at all times. Take part in progress/performance reviews throughout the year and cooperate with other Hospiscare departments.

Attend training courses and complete online training modules as required to meet the requirements of the post.

Take responsibility for own personal development, seeking out opportunities to learn new skills and undertake any other duties as requested by management which are reasonably deemed to be within the scope of the role.

Other

Apply the Hospiscare values and behaviours to every aspect of the role at all times and promote and maintain the brand standards of Hospiscare.

Person Specification

Knowledge

• Awareness of the complexities of working with individuals at times of distress and conflict
• Awareness of the scope of the Nursing Associate role within the multi-disciplinary team
• Understanding of when to seek advice and refer to a registered care professional
• Awareness of key issues relating to End of Life care

Skills

• Developed time management skills, including the ability to prioritise own delegated workload, and to work as part of a team
• Developed communication and interpersonal skills
• Ability to evaluate own strengths and development needs

Personal attributes

• Self-motivated with a commitment to continuing professional development and personal growth
• Ability to work autonomously and act on own initiative, seeking advice/escalating issues when appropriate
• Flexible and adaptable with the ability to respond positively in a rapidly changing environment.
• Ability and willingness to take part in reflective practice and clinical supervision activities
• Awareness of Equality, Diversity and Inclusion in all aspects of work

Additional requirements

• Able to contribute to the 7 day rota including rotation to night duty on IPU and to 7 day/week and out of hours service provided by Community Nursing teams when required
• Capable of fulfilling the physical and manual handling demands of the role, including administering of basic life support
• Able to travel and work across all Hospiscare sites and to placement locations as required
• Car owner and driver

Qualifications

• General education to GCSE level or equivalent including maths and English at Grade C/4 or equivalent
• Level 3 qualification in Health and Social Care or similar/related
• Evidence of ongoing professional development
• Willing and able to undertake academic study at Level 5 and to complete the Foundation Degree Programme

Experience

• Demonstrable experience of working as a healthcare professional in a support role
• Demonstrable experience of working as a team member under appropriate supervision, or as part of a multi-disciplinary team
• Experience of working within specialist palliative/end of life care

Disclosure and Barring Service Check

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.