Course Outline

The Health Care Assistant Certificate Program trains you to provide personal support services to clients and their families in residential and community care settings. You are trained to assist the clients with activities of daily living; personal care and hygiene, meal preparation, restorative activities and home management. You are also trained to act as a front-line member of the health care team, through pro-active assessment of your client's condition and active communication with family members, nurses and doctors.

The program will also provide job search training to help the newly trained graduate find work.

The program includes learning on site in care facilities where you will gain real world experience and practice applying the knowledge and skills you learn in the classroom environment.

Program topics include:

• Role of the Care Aide / Home Support Worker
• Individuality and Interpersonal skills
• Communication and Cultural sensitivity
• First Aid Level 1 and CPR certification
• Safety and Infection Control
• Mobility Assistance and Equipment
• Musculoskeletal Injury Prevention (MSIP)
• Abuse - Causes, Indicators, Legal Issues
• Household Management
• Optimal Support and Care Planning
• Charting and interRAI
• Personal Hygiene
• Assisting the Family
• Cognitive Impairment & Mental Health
• Managing Ongoing Conditions
• Assisting with Medications
• Assisting a Person Who is Dying
• Hands on experience in facilities and community care
• Job search techniques and guidance

The program is organized into the following courses, following the HCA curriculum standards defined by the BC Ministry of Advanced Education and Labour Market Development:

• Health and Healing: Concepts for Practice
• Health 1: Interpersonal Communications
• Health 2: Lifestyle and Choices
• Health Care Assistant: Introduction to Practice
• Healing 1: Caring for Individuals Experiencing Common Health Challenges
• Healing 2: Caring for Individuals Experiencing Cognitive or Mental Challenges
• Healing 3: Personal Care and Assistance
  
• Practice Experiences:
  • Multi-level or Complex Care
  • Specialized dementia care
  • Assisted Living