Nursing associate

Nursing associates care for sick people of all ages in hospital and in the community, working closely with registered nurses.


Typical Salary

£24,000 – £29,000

per year

Working Hours

37–40

hours per week

Career Area

Medical and dental technicians

View related courses

Day-to-day tasks

In this role you could:

  • set up drips and take blood samples
  •  record data, like temperature and blood pressure
  •  clean injuries and give injections and medicines
  •  share information about patients' progress with registered nurses
  •  support patients and their families
  •  care for patients with mental health or learning disabilities

Skills needed

  • a desire to help people
  • knowledge of psychology
  • to be thorough and pay attention to detail
  • the ability to work well with others
  • the ability to accept criticism and work well under pressure
  • sensitivity and understanding
  • patience and the ability to remain calm in stressful situations
  • excellent verbal communication skills
  • to be able to use a computer and the main software packages competently

How to get into this role

You can get into this job through:

  • a university course
  • an apprenticeship
  • working towards this role

Career progression

If you're already a nursing associate, you can train to become a registered nurse by completing a shortened nursing degree or a nursing degree apprenticeship.