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HCAs, APs and TNAs

Use this guide to find information resources related to healthcare assistants, healthcare support workers, assistant practitioners and trainee nursing associates including books, reports and journal articles.

Last updated: 17/09/2024

Key Resources

RCN: First steps for healthcare assistants
  • First Steps is the RCN’s most popular free e-learning tool for health care assistants. It’s a perfect resource to dip in and out of, whether you’re new to the post or looking to refresh your knowledge and skills.
    View page
RCN: Accountability and delegation
Careers support: An RCN guide for health care assistants and assistant practitioners RCN: Careers resources for nursing support workers
Royal College of Nursing (2019) Health care support workers administering inactivated influenza, shingles and pneumococcal vaccines, for adults and live attenuated influenza vaccine (laiv) for children. RCN guidance. London: RCN.

England

Royal College of Nursing (2019) The role of nursing associates in vaccination and immunisation. Position statement. London: RCN.
Nursing and Midwifery Council (2018) Standards of proficiency for nursing associates. London: NMC.
Nursing and Midwifery Council (2018) The Code: professional standards of practice and behaviour for nurses, midwives and nursing associates. London: NMC.
Skills for Health: Standards and frameworks
Skills for Health: The Care Certificate

Northern Ireland

Northern Ireland Practice and Education Council for Nursing and Midwifery (no date) Delegation.

Scotland

NHS Education for Scotland (2023) Framework for the administration of medicines by level 3 and level 4 healthcare support workers in Scotland.
NHS Education for Scotland (2022) Making delegation safe and effective: a learning resource for nurses, midwives, allied health professionals and health care support workers.
NHS Education for Scotland (2022) Development and education framework for level 2-4 nursing, midwifery and allied health professions (NMAHP) healthcare support workers (HCSWs). Edinburgh: NHSES.
NHS Education for Scotland: Healthcare support workers (HCSWS)

Social care (Scotland)

Care Inspectorate (2012) Guidance about medication personal plans, review, monitoring and record keeping in residential care services.
Care Inspectorate (2015) Prompting, assisting and administration of medication in a care setting: guidance for professionals.
Scottish Government (2015) Clinical and care governance framework: guidance.
Scottish Social Services Council (2024) Codes of practice.

Wales

Health Education and Improvement Wales (no date) All Wales guidelines for delegation.

Books

Book cover Flaherty C (2022) Practice-based learning for nursing associates. Thousand Oaks: Sage.
Book cover Griffin R (2023) Healthcare support workers: a practical guide for training and development. London: Routledge.
Book Cover Flaherty C and Taylor M (2024) Developing academic skills for nursing associates. Thousand Oaks: Learning Matters.
Book Cover Harris M (2021) Understanding person-centred care for nursing associates. Thousand Oaks: Learning Matters.
Book Cover Ndungu E (2013) How to do a good job better in health and social care: practical skills and induction guide for healthcare assistants, support workers, carers, students, parents and guardians. Oxford: Bettercare Skills Ltd.
Book cover Peate I (2021) The nursing associate at a glance. Hoboken: Wiley Blackwell.
Book Cover Peate I (eds.)  (2021) The nursing associate's handbook of clinical skills. Hoboken: Wiley Blackwell.
Book Cover Peate I (2019) Learning to care: the nursing associate. Edinburgh: Elsevier.
Book Cover Peate I (2017) Fundamentals of care: a textbook for health and social care assistants. Chichester: Wiley Blackwell.
Book Cover Rawles Z (2019) Essential knowledge and skills for healthcare assistants and assistant practitioners. 2nd edn. New York: Routledge.
Book Cover Roulston C and Davies M (2024) Medicines management for nursing associates. Thousand Oaks: Learning Matters.
Book cover Rowe G (2022) Health promotion for nursing associates. Thousand Oaks: SAGE.
Book Cover Rowe G, and others (2023) The handbook for nursing associates and assistant practitioners. 3rd edn. Los Angeles: Sage.
Book Cover Whelan A and Hughes E (2016) Clinical skills for healthcare assistants and assistant practitioners. 2nd edn. Chichester: Wiley Blackwell.

Book subject searches

Use these links to see details of books the RCN libraries hold on each topic.

Journal articles

Use these links for details of journal articles on each topic.

Journals

Journals of interest for healthcare assistants and assistant practitioners.

Exhibitions

Several health care support workers Shining a Light: A history of nursing support work
  • This exhibiion uncovers the long history of nursing support workers and celebrates the contribution that they continue to make today – in hospital wards, care homes, clinics and communities.
    View online exhibition

Videos

NMC (2020) Let's talk about delegation. Caring with confidence: The Code in action.

Upcoming events relating to this subject guide

  • Prison-building-800x400 09 Oct 2024 Online

    Trauma Informed Approaches to Care in Secure Justice Settings

    *Bookings are now closed for this event* An opportunity to learn about innovations and developments in trauma-informed care in secure justice settings and offer attendees the chance to shape future practice. Join us in-person in Cardiff or online.

  • Orange background with RCN Wales logo in top left hand corner, main text reads RCN Wales Health Care Support Worker Conference, and on the right hand side, a graphic of three stick people under a spotlight 27 Nov 2024 Cardiff

    RCN Wales Health Care Support Worker Conference

    Connecting, collaborating and celebrating success together. Join us for the RCN Wales Health Care Support Worker Conference 2024. This event will include an informative and energising programme to update your knowledge and celebrate your Health Care Support Worker role.

  • Record keeping scrabble letters 10 Dec 2024 Online

    Record Keeping webinar

    This online webinar organised by RCN Wales aims to reflect on how good record keeping supports health care practice and quality of care, describe expectations and standards for record keeping, and highlight resources to support good record keeping practice. This event is suitable for all members of the nursing team: registered nurses, Health Care Support Workers/ Health Care Assistants, and nursing students working in the NHS or Independent Health & Social Care Sector. You don't have to be based in Wales to join us!

  • 23 Jan 2025 Online

    Introduction to Leadership webinar

    This webinar aims to raise awareness of leadership in healthcare. Understand the benefits of emotional intelligence and self-awareness in leadership. To explore the concept of resilience and its relevance in leadership. Highlight skills to improve wellbeing to make a difference in the workplace and have fun learning! This is valuable for both the independent health and social care sector and the NHS. This event is organised by RCN Wales, but you do not need to be based in Wales to join us!

Page last updated - 17/09/2024