Eligible for registration with the BC Care Aide & Community Health Worker Registry, graduates from the Healthcare Assistant (HCA) program are prepared for working in both healthcare facilities and community agencies. In these roles, they are important and valued members of the health care team. They promote and maintain the health, safety, independence, comfort and well-being of individuals and families. HCAs provide personal care assistance and services in a caring manner that recognizes and supports the unique needs, abilities and backgrounds of clients. They work as members of a health care team in a variety of settings with direction and supervision from other health professionals.
The HCA Program is designed to provide students with opportunities to develop the knowledge, skills and attitudes necessary to function effectively as front-line care-givers, and respected members of the healthcare team, in community and facility settings. Under the direction and supervision of a health care professional, graduates provide person-centred care aimed at promoting and maintaining the physical, emotional, cognitive, and social well-being of clients.
Other components to the HCA Program are Basic and Advanced Hospice Palliative Care Training, Crisis Prevention Training, Introduction to RAI Observation Tool Training, Acute Care Skills, Medication Administration Assistance, Standard First Aid with CPR-C and AED, Foodsafe, WHMIS and Student Practice Education ‘Core’ Orientation (SPECO). These will be completed during the program and are included in program costs. All of these additional certifications are valued by today’s employers. Students will participate in 8 weeks of clinical and/or practicum training.
Proof of meeting English Language Competency Requirements:
The Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL): test must be within the last two years, IBT only – Overall score of 76 with no score lower than 20 in Speaking and Listening and no score lower than 18 in Reading and Writing
International English Language Testing System (IELTS): Academic or General — test must be within the last two years: Overall score of 6 with a minimum of 6 in Speaking and Listening and no score lower than 5.5 in Reading and Writing
CPR, First Aid, RAI, Crisis Prevention, FoodSafe and WHMIS will be completed during the program.
Supervised clinical training may include any shifts other than day shift (i.e. evenings– 3 to 11 pm or nights– 11 pm to 7 am and possibly weekends).
Students are responsible for their own transportation to and from clinical training sites.
Clinical training is conducted in shifts of a minimum of 7.5 hours per day up to 12 hours per day for a total of 150 hours or 2 weeks at each clinical training.
Placement sites are subject to availability. Clinical sites may require more current CRC and TB testing (to be done at student’s expense)
Food Safe, Standard First Aid, CPR-C and introduction to WHMIS must be completed prior to going out on Clinical.
Sprott Shaw College graduates are working across the province in all Health Authorities including Fraser Health, Island Health, Northern and Interior Health Authorities. We have graduates working in complex care facilities operated by the health authorities and privately managed care facilities. We also have graduates working in the largest private nursing care companies in BC like Nurse Next Door, Bayshore Home Health and Retirement Concepts. If for any reason, you need assistance finding employment after graduation, we offer Employment Services for life at each of our 16 campuses.
This program includes the Nonviolent Crisis Intervention© Seminar using the Crisis Prevention Institute, Inc. curriculum and certified training. All students will be able to take the exam to become Blue Card™ endorsed.
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