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: 22/06/2024
- Key Resources
- Books
- Journals
- Explore
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
- View page
RCN: Careers resources for nursing support workers
- View page
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.
- View page
England
Royal College of Nursing (2019) The role of nursing associates in vaccination and immunisation. Position statement. London: RCN.
- View page
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.
- View page
- Read The Code online
Skills for Health: Standards and frameworks
Skills for Health: The Care Certificate
- View page
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
Flaherty C (2021)Practice-based learning for nursing associates. Thousand Oaks: Sage.
Griffin R (2023) Healthcare support workers: a practical guide for training and development. London: Routledge.
Flaherty C and Taylor M (2021) Developing academic skills for nursing associates. Thousand Oaks: Learning Matters.
Harris M (2021) Understanding person-centred care for nursing associates. Thousand Oaks: Learning Matters.
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.
Peate I (2021) The nursing associate at a glance. Hoboken: Wiley Blackwell.
Peate I (eds.) (2021) The nursing associate's handbook of clinical skills. Hoboken: Wiley Blackwell.
Peate I (2019) Learning to care: the nursing associate. Edinburgh: Elsevier.
Peate I (2017) Fundamentals of care: a textbook for health and social care assistants. Chichester: Wiley Blackwell.
Rawles Z (2019) Essential knowledge and skills for healthcare assistants and assistant practitioners. 2nd edn. New York: Routledge.
Roulston C and Davies M (2021) Medicines management for nursing associates. Thousand Oaks: Learning Matters.
Rowe G (2022) Health promotion for nursing associates. Thousand Oaks: SAGE.
Rowe G, and others (2023) The handbook for nursing associates and assistant practitioners. 3rd edn. Los Angeles: Sage.
Whelan A and Hughes E (2016) Clinical skills for healthcare assistants and assistant practitioners. 2ndedn. 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.
- British Journal of Healthcare Assistants
- For healthcare support workers across the UK:
RCN Health+Care
Exhibitions
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.
This subject guide relates to:
Learning resources for healthcare assistants and assistant practitioners
Becoming a nursing associate
Maria Osman
Editor of this guide
RCN Library and Museum
Upcoming events relating to this subject guide
-
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.
- 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 - 22/06/2024
