Registered nursing associates have obtained a nursing associate foundation degree that has been endorsed by the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) through an approved educational institution. This usually involves 2 years of higher-level study, enabling the registered nursing associate to undertake more complex and significant tasks than a healthcare assistant would, but without the scope of a registered nurse. It is not the intention to replace the registered nurse with a registered nursing associate. The role is used and regulated in England, with the aim of addressing a skills gap between healthcare assistants/support workers and registered nurses - it can also provide a progression route into graduate-level nursing. This article, the first in a series, provides an overview of the registered nursing associate role.
Keywords: Accountability; Delegation; Governance; Registered nursing associate; Role and function; Scope of practice; Support.