Student Nursing Associate apprenticeship
This accredited Nursing Associate foundation degree apprenticeship covers all four fields of nursing: Adult, Paediatric, Mental Health, and Learning Disability. This is a blended learning course, split into work-based learning and "off-the-job" learning over two years.
Programme description
Programme lead
Katherine Oliver
Level
Level 5 (Foundation Degree)
Duration
Two years
Next intake
September 2026
Nursing Associates are trained to work across all four fields of nursing (Adult, Paediatric, Mental Health, and Learning Disability). The role bridges the gap between healthcare assistants and registered nurses, supporting the delivery of high quality, patient-centred care across a range of settings.
This two year, accredited apprenticeship will prepare you for the complex and rewarding world of healthcare. You will be employed as an apprentice, splitting your time between work-based learning and “off-the-job” learning, including university study days (both online and in-person) and alternative placements.
During your studies you’ll be taught by, and work alongside, experienced and respected practitioners, academics and clinical educators. Individualised tutoring, peer-to-peer learning, and hands-on clinical skills sessions will help foster a safe, supportive environment in which you can excel.
We constantly receive excellent communication from the university in relation to the Student Nursing Associate (SNA) apprenticeship. Sophie, the educator from the University of Sheffield, provides an excellent support system for all our current SNA's. She is always there to answer any queries we have and gives great pastoral support. The University of Sheffield supports us very well with the recruitment of cohorts.
Sarah Butcher
Sheffield Children’s Hospital
Accreditation and the apprenticeship standard
This programme is approved by the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC). It will give you the clinical skills and knowledge you need for entry into the NMC professional register as a Nursing Associate.
It also meets the nursing associate standard defined by Skills England.
About the nursing associate standard
Clinical placements
You will experience clinical placements in hospital, home-based (such as nursing homes), and close to home settings (such as GP practices). Your primary placement, where you are employed, will be based in one of these contexts but you will also experience at least one other placement in each of the other settings.
You will initially spend your time observing and shadowing experienced practitioners before taking shared responsibility for patient care under the supervision of a practice supervisor. Our clinical educators will be available throughout the course, providing a supportive link between your work-based learning and academic studies.
Alternative placements
This external placement is undertaken outside of your primary employed role.
There are 9 weeks of alternative placement per year, divided into 2-3 week blocks; these are set out in the course plan.
Modules
The apprenticeship is divided into two years (parts), with five modules per year.
Year one
- Academic skills and digital literacy (20 credits)
Healthcare is driven by technological advancements, shifting demographics, and emerging public health challenges. Headlines consistently reflect these changes, highlighting issues like AI implementation, data privacy concerns, and the growing need for culturally competent care. This module will run across one semester and will facilitate and support student transition into higher education. Students will develop their Sheffield Graduate Attributes that will prepare them for lifelong learning and future employability as a nursing associate.
- Foundations in health for nursing associates (40 credits)
This module will lay the foundation level, knowledge, skills and professional attributes and values required for contemporary nursing associate practice. It offers students a broad and applied introduction to the study of nursing through the lifespan and its practice within contemporary health and social care. Students will begin to access the evidence base for nursing associate practice, and engage and reflect on its application through supervised practice within multidisciplinary teams. Students will be introduced to work with people from the different fields of nursing (mental health, learning disability, adult and child), in the context of nursing associate practice. The content delivered will be underpinned by The Code (NMC, 2018).
- Anatomy and physiology through the lifespan (20 credits)
This module will run over two semesters. Students will explore the main body systems and changes that occur through the ageing process and apply this across the lifespan within their clinical environments.
- Complex care needs part 1 (40 credits)
This module is designed to enable the students to develop their understanding of the evidence based principles which underpin contemporary nursing practice through focusing on people with multiple comorbidities, exploring the chronic/long term aspects of a condition followed by the acute manifestations of that condition. Conditions will cover all fields of nursing and offer a critical examination of the fundamental and specialist knowledge, skills and values required of the professional nursing associate. It will examine the nature of the nursing associate’s contribution in ensuring safe and effective multidisciplinary/multi agency practice.
- Professional practice 1
This module runs across the first year and incorporates the student’s base clinical placement plus nine weeks of alternative clinical placement (required in each year of the programme). The foundational skills required by a nursing associate will be developed as the student applies their underpinning knowledge and skills within these placements. The student will work with and learn from a range of people in a variety of fields and settings, preparing them to provide care to people with diverse needs. Demonstrated learning will be achieved by completing essential documentation.
Year two
- Complex care needs part 2 (40 credits)
This module is designed to enable the students to further develop their nursing skills and professional values by building on the learning from Complex Care Needs Part One in Year One. It will continue to focus on people with multimorbidity including both the acute and chronic/long term aspects of their conditions. They will seek to understand the unique needs and experiences of patients and families living with long term conditions, including psychological, physiological and sociological perspectives. The module will explore issues related to public health, health promotion, local health needs and provision, and the significance of multi-agency collaboration across the health and social care sectors. This will be achieved by drawing the students’ attention to current policy, practice and research. The module will develop understanding of the importance of user/carer expertise in healthcare decision making.
- Pharmacology and medicines management (20 credits)
This module is designed to enable students to further develop their understanding of pharmacology within a healthcare context. They will increase their knowledge base regarding the medications used for people with long term and complex care needs as well as short term and acute care needs. It will relate to the content taught throughout Complex Care Needs Part One and Part Two modules.
- Evidence-based practice for nursing associates (20 credits)
Nursing associates are expected to practise effectively and ensure the care they provide is evidence based. There is therefore a requirement to understand what evidence based practice is and how to apply it. This module is designed to explore the need for, and importance of, evidence based practice within the role of the nursing associate. It will build and expand upon content taught in the Academic Skills and Digital Literacy module in Year One and will enhance the skills of critical thinking and analysis which are desirable Sheffield Graduate Attributes.
- Transition to professional practice (40 credits)
This module is designed to enable the students to critically analyse the evidence based principles which underpin nursing associate practice as they develop into autonomous practitioners. It offers a critical examination of the fundamental and specialist knowledge, skills and behaviours required of the nursing associate and examines the nature of the nursing associate’s contribution in effective multidisciplinary care and management.
- Professional practice 2
This module runs across the second year and incorporates the student’s base clinical placement plus nine weeks of alternative clinical placement (required in each year of the programme). The knowledge, skills and behaviours acquired in Year 1 will be reinforced within these Year 2 placements, in addition to the new learning taught within the second year modules and applied in clinical practice. The student will continue to work with and learn from a range of people in a variety of fields and settings, preparing them to provide care to people with diverse needs. Demonstrated learning will be achieved by completing essential documentation.
Learning and assessment
Learning
Over the two year programme you will complete a minimum of 3,000 hours of learning. Included within these hours will be:
- The NMC requirement of 2,300 programme hours of ‘Protected Learning Time’
- A minimum of six hours per week of “off the job” learning
The "off the job" hours requirement is achieved by completing the following over the two year period:
675 study day hours
- 675 alternative placement hours
We take a blended-approach to university study days, which include a combination of face-to-face and off-campus learning. This course encourages flexibility and accessibility, placing apprentices at the heart of the learning process.
Assessment
Your academic and practical performance and progress will be continuously monitored and assessed throughout the programme in a variety of ways, including:
Written assessments
Presentations
Exams
At the end of the two year course, you will complete an apprenticeship assessment (previously called the end-point assessment). Passing this allows you to qualify and practise as a Nursing Associate.
What our apprentices say
Entry requirements
- Employment within a partnership organisation who will support your apprenticeship for a minimum of 30 hours per week.
- Certified evidence of English Language GCSE grade C/4 or above, Functional Skills Level 2 or a university accepted equivalent.
- Certified evidence of Maths GCSE grade C/4 or above, Functional Skills Level 2 or a university accepted equivalent.
- International qualifications: evidence from UK ENIC of equivalent English/Maths (A*-C) must be provided for international qualifications.
Other requirements
Disclose and Barring Service (DBS)
You will be required to have a DBS enhanced (including children) within the last 3 years.
Digital learning technologies
Student nursing associate students are required to demonstrate the ability to use digital technology prior to commencing the SNA programme. Once you are appointed you will be given a link to a free digital learning and testing site where you will complete the "basic computer skills" package and submit the certificate as evidence.
Interviews
Recruitment, shortlisting and interviews will be organised by the employing partnership with support from the University and service users.
Apply
This programme is advertised locally in partnership organisations and application is via their recruitment processes, such as NHS jobs. The University does not recruit directly for the course.
Your employer can submit an expression of interest for this apprenticeship by contacting ahpnm-apprenticeships-admissions@sheffield.ac.uk for a copy of our Expression of Interest form.