Nursing associate (NMC 2018)

Knowledge

K1: Understand the Code: Professional standards of practice and behaviour for nurses, midwives and nursing associates (NMC, 2018), and how to fulfill all registration requirements Back to Duty

K2: Understand the demands of professional practice and demonstrate how to recognise signs of vulnerability in themselves or their colleagues and the action required to minimise risks to health Back to Duty

K3: Understand the professional responsibility to adopt a healthy lifestyle to maintain the level of personal fitness and well-being required to meet people’s needs for mental and physical care Back to Duty

K4: Understand the principles of research and how research findings are used to inform evidence-based practice Back to Duty

K5: Understand the meaning of resilience and emotional intelligence, and their influence on an individual’s ability to provide care Back to Duty

K6: Understand and apply relevant legal, regulatory and governance requirements, policies, and ethical frameworks, including any mandatory reporting duties, to all areas of practice Back to Duty

K7: Understand the importance of courage and transparency and apply the Duty of Candour Back to Duty

K8: Understand how discriminatory behaviour is exhibited Back to Duty

K9: Understand the aims and principles of health promotion, protection and improvement and the prevention of ill health when engaging with people Back to Duty

K10: Understand the principles of epidemiology, demography, and genomics and how these may influence health and well-being outcomes Back to Duty

K11: Understand the factors that may lead to inequalities in health outcomes Back to Duty

K12: Understand the importance of early years and childhood experiences and the possible impact on life choices, mental, physical and behavioural health and well-being Back to Duty

K13: Understand the contribution of social influences, health literacy, individual circumstances, behaviours and lifestyle choices to mental, physical and behavioural health outcomes Back to Duty

K14: Understand the importance of health screening Back to Duty

K15: Understand human development from conception to death, to enable delivery of person-centred safe and effective care Back to Duty

K16: Understand body systems and homeostasis, human anatomy and physiology, biology, genomics, pharmacology, social and behavioural sciences as applied to delivery of care Back to Duty

K17: Understand commonly encountered mental, physical, behavioural and cognitive health conditions as applied to delivery of care Back to Duty

K18: Understand and apply the principles and processes for making reasonable adjustments Back to Duty

K19: Know how and when to escalate to the appropriate professional for expert help and advice Back to Duty

K20: Know how people’s needs for safety, dignity, privacy, comfort and sleep can be met Back to Duty

K21: Understand co-morbidities and the demands of meeting people’s holistic needs when prioritising care Back to Duty

K22: Know how to meet people’s needs related to nutrition, hydration and bladder and bowel health Back to Duty

K23: Know how to meet people’s needs related to mobility, hygiene, oral care, wound care and skin integrity Back to Duty

K24: Know how to support people with commonly encountered symptoms including anxiety, confusion, discomfort and pain Back to Duty

K25: Know how to deliver sensitive and compassionate end of life care to support people to plan for their end of life Back to Duty

K26: Understand where and how to seek guidance and support from others to ensure that the best interests of those receiving care are upheld Back to Duty

K27: Understand the principles of safe and effective administration and optimisation of medicines in accordance with local and national policies Back to Duty

K28: Understand the effects of medicines, allergies, drug sensitivity, side effects, contraindications and adverse reactions Back to Duty

K29: Understand the different ways by which medicines can be prescribed Back to Duty

K30: Understand the principles of health and safety legislation and regulations and maintain safe work and care environments Back to Duty

K31: Understand how inadequate staffing levels impact on the ability to provide safe care and escalate concerns appropriately Back to Duty

K32: Understand what constitutes a near miss, a serious adverse event, a critical incident and a major incident Back to Duty

K33: Understand when to seek appropriate advice to manage a risk and avoid compromising quality of care and health outcomes Back to Duty

K34: Know and understand strategies to develop resilience in self and know how to seek support to help deal with uncertain situations Back to Duty

K35: Understand own role and the roles of all other staff at different levels of experience and seniority in the event of a major incident Back to Duty

K36: Understand the roles of the different providers of health and care Back to Duty

K37: Understand the challenges of providing safe nursing care for people with complex co-morbidities and complex care needs Back to Duty

K38: Understand the complexities of providing mental, cognitive, behavioural and physical care needs across a wide range of integrated care settings Back to Duty

K39: Understand the principles and processes involved in supporting people and families with a range of care needs to maintain optimal independence and avoid unnecessary interventions and disruptions to their lives Back to Duty

K40: Understand own role and contribution when involved in the care of a person who is undergoing discharge or a transition of care between professionals, settings or services Back to Duty

K41: Know the roles, responsibilities and scope of practice of different members of the nursing and interdisciplinary team, and own role within it Back to Duty

K42: Understand and apply the principles of human factors and environmental factors when working in teams Back to Duty

K43: Understand the influence of policy and political drivers that impact health and care provision Back to Duty

Skills

S1: Act in accordance with the Code: Professional standards of practice and behaviour for nurses, midwives and nursing associates (NMC, 2018), and fulfil all registration requirements Back to Duty

S2: Keep complete, clear, accurate and timely records Back to Duty

S3: Recognise and report any factors that may adversely impact safe and effective care provision Back to Duty

S4: Take responsibility for continuous self-reflection, seeking and responding to support and feedback to develop professional knowledge and skills Back to Duty

S5: Safely demonstrate evidence-based practice in all skills and procedures required for entry to the register: Standards of proficiency for nursing associates Annex A & B (NMC 2018) Back to Duty

S6: Act as an ambassador for their profession and promote public confidence in health and care services Back to Duty

S7: Communicate effectively using a range of skills and strategies with colleagues and people at all stages of life and with a range of mental, physical, cognitive and behavioural health challenges Back to Duty

S8: Recognise signs of vulnerability in self or colleagues and the action required to minimise risks to health Back to Duty

S9: Develop, manage and maintain appropriate relationships with people, their families, carers and colleagues Back to Duty

S10: Provide, promote, and where appropriate advocate for, non-discriminatory, person-centred and sensitive care at all times, reflecting on people’s values and beliefs, diverse backgrounds, cultural characteristics, language requirements, needs and preferences, taking account of any need for adjustments Back to Duty

S11: Report any situations, behaviours or errors that could result in poor care outcomes Back to Duty

S12: Challenge or report discriminatory behaviour Back to Duty

S13: Apply the aims and principles of health promotion, protection and improvement and the prevention of ill health when engaging with people Back to Duty

S14: Promote preventive health behaviours and provide information to support people to make informed choices to improve their mental, physical, behavioural health and wellbeing Back to Duty

S15: Identify people who are eligible for health screening Back to Duty

S16: Promote health and prevent ill health by understanding the evidence base for immunisation, vaccination and herd immunity Back to Duty

S17: Protect health through understanding and applying the principles of infection prevention and control, including communicable disease surveillance and antimicrobial stewardship and resistance Back to Duty

S18: Apply knowledge, communication and relationship management skills required to provide people, families and carers with accurate information that meets their needs before, during and after a range of interventions Back to Duty

S19: Recognise when capacity has changed recognise and how a person’s capacity affects their ability to make decisions about their own care and to give or withhold consent Back to Duty

S20: Recognise people at risk of abuse, self-harm and/or suicidal ideation and the situations that may put them and others at risk Back to Duty

S21: Monitor the effectiveness of care in partnership with people, families and carers, documenting progress and reporting outcomes Back to Duty

S22: Take personal responsibility to ensure that relevant information is shared according to local policy and appropriate immediate action is taken to provide adequate safeguarding and that concerns are escalated Back to Duty

S23: Work in partnership with people, to encourage shared decision making, in order to support individuals, their families and carers to manage their own care when appropriate Back to Duty

S24: Perform a range of nursing procedures and manage devices, to meet people’s need for safe, effective and person-centred care Back to Duty

S25: Meet people’s needs for safety, dignity, privacy, comfort and sleep Back to Duty

S26: Meet people’s needs related to nutrition, hydration and bladder and bowel health Back to Duty

S27: Meet people’s needs related to mobility, hygiene, oral care, wound care and skin integrity Back to Duty

S28: Support people with commonly encountered symptoms including anxiety, confusion, discomfort and pain Back to Duty

S29: Give information and support to people who are dying, their families and the bereaved and provide care to the deceased Back to Duty

S30: Recognise when a person’s condition has improved or deteriorated by undertaking health monitoring, interpreting, promptly responding, sharing findings and escalating as needed Back to Duty

S31: Act in line with any end of life decisions and orders, organ and tissue donation protocols, infection protocols, advanced planning decisions, living wills and lasting powers of attorney for health Back to Duty

S32: Work collaboratively and in partnership with professionals from different agencies in interdisciplinary teams Back to Duty

S33: Maintain safe work and care environments Back to Duty

S34: Act in line with local and national organisational frameworks, legislation and regulations to report risks, and implement actions as instructed, following up and escalating as required Back to Duty

S35: Accurately undertake risk assessments, using contemporary assessment tools Back to Duty

S36: Respond to and escalate potential hazards that may affect the safety of people Back to Duty

S37: Participate in data collection to support audit activity, and contribute to the implementation of quality improvement strategies Back to Duty

S38: Prioritise and manage own workload, and recognise where elements of care can safely be delegated to other colleagues, carers and family members Back to Duty

S39: Recognise when people need help to facilitate equitable access to care, support and escalate concerns appropriately Back to Duty

S40: Support and motivate other members of the care team and interact confidently with them Back to Duty

S41: Monitor and review the quality of care delivered, providing challenge and constructive feedback when an aspect of care has been delegated to others Back to Duty

S42: Support, supervise and act as a role model to nursing associate students, health care support workers and those new to care roles, review the quality of the care they provide, promoting reflection and providing constructive feedback Back to Duty

S43: Contribute to team reflection activities to promote improvements in practice and services Back to Duty

S44: Access, input, and apply information and data using a range of methods including digital technologies, and share appropriately within interdisciplinary teams Back to Duty

Behaviours

B1: Treat people with dignity, respecting individual's diversity, beliefs, culture, needs, values, privacy and preferences Back to Duty

B2: Show respect and empathy for those you work with, have the courage to challenge areas of concern and work to evidence based best practice Back to Duty

B3: Be adaptable, reliable and consistent, show discretion, resilience and self-awareness Back to Duty