"I look forward to coming to work each day"
Being a TNA
TNAs were introduced by the Norfolk and Waveney Sustainability and Transformation Partnership (STP) as part of a national programme which aims to find innovative ways to address staffing challenges within health and social care. The nursing associate role aims to bridge the gap between health or care assistants and registered nurses. It will also give health and care assistants the opportunity to undergo further training to help them progress into a nursing role.
Once qualified, the nursing associates will provide hands-on care within hospital wards and departments, within the community and in primary care as part of the wider health and social care team.
Lorna Mallinder, a TNA at NCH&C told us about her experience in this role:
“I have always admired nurses and really wanted to join the profession, but financially I was never in the position to fulfil this dream.
“Last year I was applying for roles working as a Healthcare Assistant when I saw an advert for the TNA apprenticeship role. It interested me because it seemed a fantastic opportunity for me to train to become part of the nursing profession whilst earning. I applied and was successful and started my TNA role in November 2018.
“Being a TNA has provided me with fantastic opportunities and extremely valuable experience. I’m based in a LD respite care home and have recently spent six weeks working with the community nurses. I feel my biggest achievement has been contributing to the work of an amazing team that provides vital care to our patients.
“I have learned so much and grown as a person since starting this role last year. I’ve never looked back – every day is so different. I thoroughly enjoy my job and look forward to coming to work each day.
“My plans for the future are to qualify as a nurse associate. I may decide to further my career by training for another two years to become a Band 5 nurse.
“I would definitely recommend others to apply for this role. Being a TNA is a fantastic opportunity to play a valuable role in the NHS. You must be prepared to put the hard work in and manage your time effectively to get the most out of this job. It’s not easy by any means but I know it will be very rewarding in the end.”