New Associate Nurse role

[Magpie]

The Govt is putting forward a new nursing role to bridge the gap between Registered Nurses and Senior HCA's, likely to be Band 4 and called Associate Nurse. After the announcement there will be a consultation ( to me that's back to front).this is raising questions re regulation- should it be NMC and accountability to whom? The introduction of the role will take place before the pilots begin. Chief Nurses have given their approval as has the Nurse Director of Monitor but the RCN are calling it a retrograde step now that we have an all graduate profession. As someone who taught both students and pupil nurses and opposed the ending of EN training all I can say is stay still and everything will come round again!!! I remember going up to a conference on ceasing EN training at the RCN,  the wonderful new world of graduate training being proposed, standing up and saying that nursing was shooting itself in the foot, that there would always be a need for a more practical trained EN and that HCA would not be attractive without nurse in the title - I was booed vey loudly and absolutely humiliated and will never forget it but could I in my own little way have spoken a grain of truth?

[backman]

I do try to remain objective when I look at just how the Nursing profession is having to adept to the 21st century demands of healthcare,but it is difficult.The reality is that healthcare has become a victim of it's own success and that we are now able to extend life(not always with quality)that just wasn't the case when many of us began our training.We often treat people because we can rather than because we ought to.This has,and will continue to,put pressure on both Health and Care provision.
Although some Enrolled Nurses were used and abused in that role,the vast majority(including my mother)gave excellent practical Nursing care alongside SRNs and Nursing Auxiliaries and I too miss their passing.I did believe that the HCA role might evolve into a similar professional group but the lack of a formal training and registration system meant that whilst some were,and are excellent, there was no standardisation of their role.
This new Associate Nurses role is yet another attempt by a government to paper over the cracks.They need to be seen to provide more "Nurses" but doing so is both costly and time consuming.
What I do find distressing however is the degree to which the NMC and RCN have been sidelined in these plans when once they would have been finding and driving any such engine of change. As an RCN member and activist for many years I am saddened to see how little influence it appears to have,particularly in its coming centenary year.

[wilfb]

Hi.

Yes... It seems that the cart is driving the horse yet again.  We will no doubt reap what will be sewn. I am just so very glad that I didn't sew any...

Those advisors (whoever they are?) in political power always seem to know better than those with practical experience.  By the time the reward is reaped they and their rewards/pensions will be long gone.

But lets face reality - they are the best paper-hangers ever.  But the cracks are very wide....

Will.

[caro7b]

We already HAVE associate nurses, working. In place. So what is consultation if it happens after the event?
Incidentally our two associates are utterly brilliant.

[myk1066]

It will all end up like the Enrolled Nurse scenario, they'll be trained, registered & bound by all that being registerd requires.  They should just bring back Enrolled Nurses & build on what was way back when, it was tried & tested.

[johnny4v]

New Associate Nurse role - nothing new about the idea as many of you have said. What I can't understand is why the University Schools of Nursing along with the MNC cannot bring  about  two levels of nursing training or eduction. One would be at degree level (3year) and the other at diploma level (2year). They should make allowance for those  who complete a diploma course to progress onto degree level or for those who do not complete the degree in 3years to obtain a diploma in 2years.
In the good old day this was quite common practice for registered nurses who did not  complete the 3 year course to become enrolled nurses and for enrolled nurses to proceed on to registered nurse training. I think that one can become hung up on GCE or such like being the only criteria for entry into nurse training these days. One just has to read some views of head teachers  about GCE's not fit for purpose. May be I am taking a very simplistic view of the situation!

[wilfb]

Hello.

Very well said Johnny, thanks for that ray of sunshine... But it isn't you being very simplistic - I would love to hear some of the convoluted answers from the powers that be...

Will.