Student Nursing Associate | University Hospitals Dorset NHS Foundation Trust

Job description

About

We are seeking motivated and compassionate individuals to join UHD  as a Student Nursing Associate. This developmental role offers the opportunity to undertake the Nursing Associate Training Programme while gaining valuable clinical experience across a variety of healthcare settings.

The successful post holder will work towards achieving a Level 5 Foundation Degree qualification and progression to a registered Nursing Associate role. Working under the supervision of registered healthcare professionals, the Student Nursing Associate will support the delivery of high-quality, person-centred care, assisting patients with a wide range of physical, emotional, social, and cultural needs. The role combines clinical practice, academic study, and placement learning, enabling the post holder to develop clinical competence, leadership skills, and a strong understanding of the nursing process.

The post holder will undertake delegated care activities, monitor and record patient observations, maintain accurate records, promote health and independence, and contribute to service improvement initiatives. Working as part of a multidisciplinary team, they will demonstrate UHD's values of compassion, professionalism, and respect while supporting excellent patient outcomes and their own professional development. Strong communication skills, a commitment to learning, and the ability to balance academic and clinical responsibilities are essential for success in this role.

The Nursing Associate apprenticeship programme combines and integrates both academic and work-based learning through close collaboration between employers and education providers.  A Student Nursing Associate will be based, as an employee, in a specific setting, but will experience working in alternative settings in order that they gain a wide appreciation of many health and care contexts and are able to fulfil all the requirements of the programme.    

At the end of the programme, the Student Nursing Associate will be equipped with the knowledge, understanding, skills, attitudes and behaviours relevant to employment as a Nursing Associate and will work to a nationally recognised code of conduct.  

The apprenticeship programme emphasises the role that Student Nursing Associates can play in life-course, approaches towards health and well-being and the ways in which they actively contribute to the delivery of holistic care. Holistic care, across life-course, is a whole-person approach which considers, and equally values, physical, psychological, and public health needs, learning disabilities, social, economic, spiritual and other factors in the assessing, planning and delivery of care.   

The overall outcome from the apprenticeship programme is a Nursing Associate who is fit to practice in the widest range of settings as well as being equipped with the specific knowledge, skills and capabilities required for the context in which they have trained and are employed.  

 

UHD are investing, developing and transforming Trust services in line with the New Hospital Programme. As part of this, some services may move site this year or next, either temporarily or permanently. Recruiting Managers will be happy to answer any service-specific questions at interview.

If a role or service relocates as part of a planned move, excess mileage will not be reimbursed. Travel from home to the new work base will be classed as a normal commute. Any other changes will be managed under Trust or national terms and conditions.

UHD has active networks including Women’s, BAME, Pride, EU, Pro Ability, and Armed Forces. We support Disability Confident and Armed Forces Covenant interview schemes.

AI tools may be used, but applications must honestly reflect your own skills and experience. Integrity is key to our recruitment process.

 For UHD employees, this fixed-term post will be offered as a secondment in line with the Trust’s Secondment Policy. Please speak with your line manager before applying.

Please see the Person Specification and Job Description Attached for further Details about the main duties of the role. 

This advert closes on Sunday 22 Nov 2026