Health Care Assistant Certificate

Why Choose North Island College?

• Respected credentials. Health care programs at NIC are well respected in the communities we serve, and graduates are in high demand. With NIC’s high-quality instruction, small class sizes, and dedication to student success, graduates are able to achieve the high standards required to work in this demanding profession.
• Former student tell us. "The program gives participants life skills for fulfilling, high-demand career in seniors’ care. Within a few months of graduating you are absorbed into a team of workers providing life-quality and care to the elderly, a generation who gave so much to ensure our freedom. It is also the first rung in a ladder which can lead to other roles in the nursing field, such as programming, LPN, RN, and nurse-practitioner."

Program Highlights

The Health Care Assistant certificate is designed to prepare students for work as front-line care providers and members of a health care team who receive direction and supervision from other health professionals such as licensed practical nurses and registered nurses. Students are provided with opportunities to develop the basic knowledge, skills, and attitudes necessary to provide assistance to individuals in the community or in care facilities. Graduates are prepared to provide care to older adults experiencing diverse and often complex health and illness needs.

All of the offerings have classroom and practice experience components. Students participate in a range of activities, working with each other and with the instructor to master essential skills. The classroom is seen as a microcosm of the workplace, where students learn skills and behaviours that will carry them effectively into the work force. Classes may be scheduled during the day or evening, and on weekends.

Clinical practice experiences occur outside of the college setting. During the community component of the practice experience, students participate in community home support services that are designed to meet the health needs of older adults. In the complex care practice component, students work in residential care centers. Students will have two clinical courses in residential care with the goal of gradually building on their novice care skills. At the end of the program, successful graduates will be able to competently carry out the roles and responsibilities of a health care assistant.
 

Career Opportunities

Upon completion of the program, graduates are qualified to work in a variety of settings. Health care assistants work in community home support agencies, complex care and assisted living facilities, group homes, and adult day programs. Program graduates continue to be in high demand.

For further information about the roles and responsibilities, potential students are encouraged to review the following document posted at www.health.gov.bc.ca: Care Aide Competency Project: Framework of Practice for Community Health Workers and Resident Care Attendants. 

Practice Experience

Student practice experiences in health agencies are essential to the program. Students will be placed in community agencies that have services and resources to support the health of adults living in their own homes. Complex care facilities provide residential care and support for a primarily older adult population. While the majority of practice placements are in centres close to NIC campus communities, it may be necessary to utilize agencies in other Vancouver Island communities. Students may be scheduled to attend practice experiences in other communities, and must arrange their own transportation and assume related costs. Students may be required to work a variety of shifts, four-, six-, eight- and/or 12-hour shifts, including days, evenings, nights, weekends, and holidays.
 

Seat Availability

A student who has failed a course, re-entered the program, repeated it and passed, and then fails another course will be removed entirely from the program and can only re-enter by going through the admission process and beginning at Term One.

Re-entering the program is dependent on an available seat and at the discretion of the health care assistant department. Students who fail a required course may be asked to complete a learning assessment prior to being considered for re-admission. These regulations are important to ensure that graduates have the required skills and knowledge and are therefore deemed safe to practice.

Admission Requirements

1. English 11 with a C+ or better, or NIC ENG 052, or ESL 052 and ESL 055 and ESL 058 with a C+ or better, or successful English assessment test.
2. Completed HCA Intake Package.   Carefully read the Health and Program Information Bulletins.  Prospective students must review these bulletins and decide whether they believe the HCA program is suited to them.  Prospective students who have questions or concerns should contact an Educational Advisor.   

Before Classes Begin

Once accepted to the program but before classes begin, you will be required to complete the following:

1. Hold a Current Standard First Aid Certification (FAC 021 )
2. Hold a Health Care Provider CPR certificate (HRT-015)
3. Submit a Criminal Record Check form, which will be sent to you by Admissions once you are offered a seat in the program.
4. Submit a completed immunization form, which will be sent to you by Admissions once you are offered a seat in the program. This form should be validated by the public health nurse at your local health unit and must be presented to the Health Care Assistant program faculty on the first day of classes. Note: If the public health nurse recommends a rubella serologic test, a photocopy of the results of this test will also have to be submitted.
5. Hold a Food Safe Level 1 certificate (TFS 010)
6. Complete a Workplace Hazardous Material Information System (WHMIS) course (OFA-001).

Students must provide proof of completion of the above to the Health Care Assistant faculty on the first day of class.

To Be Successful

Skills, abilities, and behaviours required to be successful in the program include but are not limited to the following:

• Basic computer literacy. In the classroom, students will be expected to use computer skills, and in the practice setting, students may use electronic documentation. Students are expected to have the following:
  • An email address
  • Access to the internet
  • The ability to navigate the internet and access online resources the ability to create word documents,
  • The ability to attach word documents to emails, and submit assignments via email. 
• An interest in caring and providing service to an ethnically and culturally diverse clientele of people spanning all age groups
• Problem solving skills. When providing care to clients the student must demonstrate responsible, safe and ethical behaviour and make informed, considered judgments.
• The ability to carry out complex skills and to work on their feet for long periods of time.
• Demonstrate safe psychomotor skills when moving, positioning, and transferring residents with or without mechanical aids, i.e., from bed to chair.
• Provide intimate personal care such as bathing, feeding, and bowel/urinary care.
• A valid driver's license and access to personal transport is recommended for the HCA 145 Home Support Practicum and other practice experience components. Students who are not able to provide their own transport may have difficulty meeting the requirements of these courses.
• Demonstrate strong interpersonal communication skills in various contexts with clients, instructor, staff and student peers.
• An ability to work independently and as a member of a health care team and establish effective working relationships with student colleagues.
• The capacity to maintain their own mental, emotional, physical, and spiritual well-being while working in a rewarding but often stressful working environment.
• Students are required to adhere to relevant college policies and regulations. Failure to adhere to these policies and program regulations may result in the student being required to leave the program.

Program Requirements

• HCA-100 Health and Healing: Concepts for Practice
• HCA-105 Health I: Interpersonal Communications
• HCA-110 Health 2: Lifestyle and Choices
• HCA-115 Healing I: Caring for Individuals Experiencing Common Health Challenges
• HCA-120 Healing 3: Personal Care and Assistance
• HCA-125 Healing 2: Caring for Individuals Experiencing Cognitive or Mental Challenges
• HCA-130 Work Role: Introduction to HCA 

Includes a minimum of 270 hours of clinical practice experience:

• HCA-140 Practice Experience I
• HCA-145 Practice Experience II
• HCA-150 Practice Experience III 

Completion Requirements

1. The HCA certificate must be completed within 2 years of admission to the program.
2. To successfully complete the program, students must maintain an 80% average or better.
3. Successful completion of the appropriate HCA theory courses is required to progress into the practice experience.