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What does your day-to-day role involve?

I work alongside registered nurses, looking after patients who have conditions affecting the brain and nervous system. I assist with medication rounds, undertake personal care, and help patients with eating, drinking and physiotherapy. I also work with tissue viability nurses to assess wounds, help manage discharges and admissions, and sometimes act as a chaperone for doctors. 

My patients are generally aged 16 upwards. Many feel vulnerable when they’re in hospital, so I focus on making them feel safe. I love my job, but due to the complexity of the conditions my patients have, it can be challenging. I've found working with them over a longer period helps me build up rapport.  

What might surprise a person about your role?

When I first started, I was worried I’d only be nursing patients who’d had a stroke, and my role would be limited. However, I work with people with a wide range of conditions, such as multiple sclerosis and Parkinson’s disease.

Cannulas are considered my area of expertise, though I work under the supervision of two registered nurses. A cannula is a short, thin tube that’s put into a vein for treatment and are often used for patients who don’t stay overnight. Cannulas are also used on wards to help patients with getting treatments in a timely manner. 

How did you get here?

I’ve worked in health care since 2011, starting my career as an apprentice nursing support worker in a local hospital, and then working as a health care assistant on an orthopaedic ward. I started training to be a nursing associate in 2020. Many are surprised at just how much I can do as a registered nursing associate.

What things do you do in this role, that other nursing staff don’t do?

I give disease-modifying treatments such as Rituximab. They delay, slow or reverse the progression of a disease by targeting its underlying cause and suppressing a person’s immune system. Only limited numbers of people have been trained to give these kind of treatments.

Any specialist training, equipment or procedures?

I work with patients who have had a tracheostomy. This is a procedure where an opening is made at the front of the neck. A tube is inserted through the opening and into the windpipe to help them breathe. 

I also work with patients who’ve had a central line inserted. This is a long, thin tube which is placed into a vein to the central part of the body (near the heart). It allows medicine to go straight into the vein. We use them for plasma exchange if a treatment hasn’t gone as well as hoped. It clears the system and eliminates traces of the old treatments, allowing us to start again. 

Five key qualities you need to do this job?

• Compassion. 
• Organisation. 
• Competence. 
• Ability to ask for help when needed. 
• Effective communication skills. 

What’s the most rewarding part of your job?

Working with the patients. They make the job rewarding as you see them progress and sometimes return home, regaining their independence. 

What would you like to see change in your role?

The nursing associate role needs to be more clearly defined with standardised job descriptions. The NMC have set standards, but employers often expect more.