A complete guide to the challenges and opportunities of the nursing associate role, and its potential to improve patient outcomes The Nursing Associate: Stepping into Practice provides essential insights into the important, emerging role of the nursing associate within clinical practice, the importance of professional development, and the core skills and competencies outlined by the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC, 2018). This book carefully considers how these skills align with the NMC Standards for Nurse Education and the Future Nurse expectations, and where appropriate, outlines their relationship directly to the Standards of Proficiency. Each chapter includes further reading to enable the reader to expand their understanding in relation to their own experiences and practice needs. The Nursing Associate includes information on: The importance of decision-making, evidence-based practice, and professionalism as a nursing associateApproaches to ensuring a person-centred mindset during admission and the provision of safe and effective careEffective communication skills aimed at supporting individuality, gaining trust, and ensuring the patient voice is recognisedThe relevance of duty of care, candour, equality and diversity, and how the three concepts interlink The transition into becoming a registrant, covering changes in responsibility and accountability level as well as new skill development The Nursing Associate is an essential read for all current and aspiring nursing associates seeking to understand their role, maximise their effectiveness in team support and patient outcomes, and taking the next step in their careers.