Support and career aspirations among trainee nursing associates: a longitudinal cohort study

The nursing associate role has been introduced in England to bridge a skills gap between health care assistants and registered nurses and to provide an alternative route into registered nursing. While previous research has highlighted challenges that trainee nursing associates (TNA) face, and how qualified nursing associates (NA) are being embedded within the workforce, no research has explored TNA experiences over time. Aim: To consider how support experiences and career plans change for TNAs over a one year period before and during the COVID-19 pandemic. Method: A longitudinal study that collected survey data in 2019 and 2020 from a cohort of TNAs, recruited through universities and social media. Results: Over the period of the study, there was an increase in support from clinical supervisors and NAs, and a reduction in support from academic tutors. Support in the clinical setting improved from 56% to 65%. Few participants (around 10%) intended to remain in an NA role. Over a third remain uncertain about progressing to registered nursing. The majority wish to remain in their current organisation though a third were looking to change clinical setting. Conclusion: Understanding more about changes in support mechanisms and career aspirations could ensure a positive working environment and help align individual career planning with organisational workforce requirements.