Working as a newly qualified Nursing Associate: Experiences and perceptions

The literature field related to the role of the Nursing Associate (NA) remains an under-researched area. This is particularly evident in the context of the newly qualified Nursing Associate. To support evidence-based care delivery and workforce development there is a need to explore and understand the role so that the curriculum and professional development once qualified can be improved and enhanced. Within the literature, Kessler et al (2020) and Coghill (2018) have examined the NA role from the employer’s perspective. This literature has demonstrated a gap in terms of the implementation of the NA role in practice and the experiences of the newly qualified NA.

In this project, data was collected through a mixed methods approach using both a quantitative online survey and data from local NHS Trusts, qualitative data via semi-structured interviews, and a creative methods approach of photo-elicitation. The purpose of using these data collection methods was to explore the lived experience of participants who have completed the NA course. When the data was analysed the following 2 Superordinate and Subordinate themes emerged: Value of the Nursing Associate: subordinate theme: self-perceptions; perceptions of others; and Scope of the Role: subordinate themes: enablers and barriers in the workplace environment; training and support. These themes highlighted that there was limited understanding of the role of the NA and that often it was viewed not as an important role but as an interim method of achieving the registered nurse qualification through further study. The data demonstrated that it was important to develop a more nuanced understanding of the role and its impact on the provision of quality care in practice.