Nursing associates: how the new role has quashed my inner cynic

Despite misgivings, the role is proving to be an affordable pathway into nursing that gives prospective students vital practical experience from the start

When the nursing associate (NA) role was created, some of us older nurses muttered about reinventing the wheel.

The more cynical believed that the scheme would be a dead duck before it was even hatched. And those of us who are both old and cynical? Well, it was a thumbs down from the start.

Nursing associate role has defied expectations

But, I am glad to say, we were wrong. The NA role, about which we tutted and rolled our eyes, has