Health Care Assistant with Co-op Program

Admission Requirements

Applicants must meet all of the pre-requisites listed below, meet their financial obligations to the college at registration, and acknowledge their understanding of SSC’s policies and procedures provided in the Student Handbook, prior to starting classes.

Note: Students are provided with a detailed list of books, e-resources, workshop/lab supplies, and lab/tool kits that are included in the program’s fees and will have the opportunity to opt in or out of purchasing from Sprott Shaw College or any other specific source any of these items at the time of registration.

Education Level (one of the following)

• Grade 12 or equivalent (GED, Adult Basic Education) with evidence of a ‘true certified copy’ or original transcript
• Mature student status (age 19 and one year out of high school)

Language Proficiency Policy

All programs at Sprott Shaw College (SSC) are conducted in English. Therefore, proficiency in the English language is a requirement for enrollment. This can be demonstrated by evidence of:

A) Completion of 3 years of full-time secondary (Grades 8-12) or post-secondary education in English in a country where English is the language of instruction.

Countries where English is the language of instruction: American Samoa, Anguilla, Antigua and Barbuda, Australia, Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Bermuda, Botswana, British Virgin Islands, Canada, Cayman Islands, Dominica, Falkland Islands, Fiji, Gambia, Ghana, Gibraltar, Grenada, Guam, Guyana, Ireland, Jamaica, Kenya, Lesotho, Liberia, Malta, Mauritius, Montserrat, New Zealand, Nigeria, Saint Helena, Saint Lucia, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Singapore, South Africa, Tanzania, Trinidad & Tobago, Turks and Caicos Islands, Uganda, United Kingdom, United States, United States Virgin Islands, Zambia, & Zimbabwe.

OR

B) By achieving a recognized standardized language test/assessment at an overall level equivalent. (See English Requirements below)

Language Proficiency Policy: BC Care Aide & Community Health Worker Registry

To be accepted into a recognized BC HCA program, applicants are required to demonstrate proficiency in English. Students must be able to communicate effectively in English to be successful in their studies and capable of providing safe and competent care to patients/clients/residents in the work environment during practice education components.

To ensure consistency and quality assurance, institution-created tests are not acceptable for the assessment of HCA program applicants.

For clarification, three years of full-time instruction in English is defined as three (3) years of full-time secondary and/or post-secondary education in the English language at a recognized institution on the list of Approved English Speaking Countries. English as a Second Language (ESL) courses will not be considered.

Applicants must provide a transcript and/or a BC personal education record as evidence of completion of a minimum of three years of full-time secondary (inclusive of grade 8) or post-secondary instruction in English. It is expected that the student has taken full-time studies (with a minimum of 18 credits per academic year (60% courseload). Documentation should indicate completion of a minimum of six semesters with a minimum of 54 credits in total.

APPROVED ENGLISH-SPEAKING COUNTRIES

The following countries are considered as those with English language systems / institutions, where English is a primary and official language, and the language used for education.

American Samoa, Anguilla, Antigua and Barbuda, Australia, Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Bermuda, Botswana, British Virgin Islands, Canada, Cayman Islands, Dominica, Falkland Islands, Fiji, Gambia, Ghana, Gibraltar, Grenada, Guam, Guyana, Ireland, Jamaica, Kenya, Lesotho, Liberia, Malta, Mauritius, Montserrat, New Zealand, Nigeria, Saint Helena, Saint Lucia, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Singapore, South Africa, Tanzania, Trinidad and Tobago, Turks and Caicos Islands, Uganda, United Kingdom, United States, United States Virgin Islands, Zambia, and Zimbabwe

English Requirement

Proof of meeting the HCA Program Entry – English Language Competency Requirements

APPLICANTS WITH THREE YEARS OF FULL-TIME ENGLISH INSTRUCTION (one of the following) from a full-time secondary and/or post-secondary education at a Ministry of Education-recognised institution or equivalent in the country of origin on the list of Approved English Speaking Countries:

• English 10 completion (or higher) or equivalent with a minimum ‘C’ grade (transcript required). Secondary education will be considered starting from grade 8; ESL courses will not be considered
• SSC English for Healthcare (min. grade 76%)
• Completion of college courses determined to be equivalent to Grade 10 English (or higher) by post-secondary institutions. (Minimum Grade C)
• ACCUPLACER Next Generation Test results: Reading 230, Writing 230, and Writeplacer 4

APPLICANTS WITH LESS THAN THREE YEARS OF FULL-TIME ENGLISH INSTRUCTION (provide one of the following standardized proficiency tests):

• Canadian Language Benchmarks (CLB) test is conducted at a recognized Language Assessment Centre/Location by a certified CLB language assessor (e.g., CLB Placement Test (CLBPT) completed at a Centre for Language Benchmarks (CCLB) Assessment Centre). Self-assessment tests, e.g., CLB-Online Self-Assessment (OSA) cannot be accepted for HCA program entry. Tested in the last year (in person or remote): Listening 7 Speaking 7 Reading 6 Writing 6

• International English Language Testing System (IELTS Academic, IELTS General, or IELTS Academic Online) tested in the last two years: Overall score 6 Minimum 6 in Speaking and Listening Minimum 5.5 in Reading and Writing

• Canadian Academic English Language Assessment (CAEL or CAEL Online) tested in the last two years: Overall score of 60. No section less than 50.

• The Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL iBT or TOEFL iBT Home Edition) tested in the last two years: Overall score of 76. No score lower than 20 in Speaking and Listening. No score lower than 18 in Reading and Writing

• Canadian English Language Proficiency Index Program (CELPIP General) tested in the last two years: Listening 7 Speaking 7 Reading 6 Writing 6

For further information on English requirements, see your Career Advisor.

Health Requirement (one of the following)

• Completed SSC Health Declaration form
• Physician’s waiver

Other Requirements

• Submit a criminal record check from the Criminal Records Review Program [Schedule B] including clearance to work with both children and vulnerable adults (Schedule B must be done no more than three months before program start date)
• A clear police certificate from the country of origin is required prior to acceptance into the HCA program for all international applicants, including those currently residing in Canada, as students will work with vulnerable clients. In addition, students must complete a B.C. Criminal Record Review Program (CRRP) check to meet practice education requirements.
• Excellent communication skills (composition)
• Provide evidence of up-to-date Immunizations: Measles, Mumps, Rubella, Polio, Chicken Pox, Tetanus, Diphtheria, Hepatitis B, Pertussis
• Evidence of full COVID-19 vaccinations

Practice Education Requirement

• Provide evidence of clear TB testing
• Influenza vaccinations (and others), as required by clinical sites
• Adhere to the requirements of the BC Practice Education Guidelines

NOTE ABOUT PRACTICE EDUCATION

The following are pre-requisites to the program or are covered during the program, so it is mandatory that students complete the training components when they are scheduled in the program, as they are required in student files prior to the first practice education experience. All evidence must be current and valid.

• First Aid Certification
• CPR Level “C” Certification or “Basic Life Support (BLS)” Certification
• Foodsafe Level 1 Certification (or a certificate course deemed equivalent)
• Completion of the Student Practice Education Core Orientation (SPECO) (available on the LearningHub), which must include the following:
  • A signed checklist SPECO Checklist.pdf (phsa.ca)
  • Proof of meeting current immunizations / vaccinations as per health care organization policies / guidelines (or signed vaccination exemption form, except TB)51
  • Provincial Violence Prevention Curriculum E-Learning Modules
  • WHMIS – Provincial Course

• Completion of the Health Care Assistant Practice in BC E Learning Modules (LearningHub)
• Completion of the Recognizing and Responding to Adult Abuse course (LearningHub)

Diploma Requirements

• 70% average upon successful completion of all course
• CPR, First Aid, SPECO, Provincial Violence Prevention Curriculum, WHMIS and FoodSafe Level 1 (or an appropriate equivalent as listed on the BCCDC website) will be completed during the program.
• Clinical Training for HCA400 and HCA 401 may be conducted as a clinical or practicum placement.
• All clinical or practicum placements are conducted in shifts of 7 to 8 hours per day for a total of 270 hours.
• Clinical placement sites are subject to availability (may be in various areas).
• Students can expect to complete 1 – 4 hours of homework per day