Health Care Assistant: Certificate

Description

The Health Care Assistant (HCA) program is designed to provide students with opportunities to develop the knowledge, skills and values necessary to function as a front-line caregiver in a variety of health care settings, including acute care, complex care, and home support. The graduate is prepared to meet the care needs of adults who may be experiencing diverse and often complex health and illness challenges.

Graduates are prepared to function collaboratively as members of an inter-disciplinary health care team. In a facility they work under the direct supervision of an appropriate health professional. In a home care setting they work more independently but are always under the direction of a health professional.

In addition to tuition fees, students will spend approximately $1,500 for textbooks, course materials, uniforms and shoes, transportation and parking, etc., during the program. Students are responsible for providing their own transportation to and from clinical experiences.

The student will have a variety of experiences over the program length, including classroom, laboratory, simulations, complex care, and home support facilities.

Note: Students will be expected to do both daytime (0700–1500) and evening (1500–2300) shifts as part of their practice experiences.

The last five weeks of the program will be a full-time work experience.

Career Opportunities

Upon completion of the program, graduates are qualified to work in any of the following health care areas:

Complex Care
Acute Care
Home Support
Assisted Living
Adult Day Care

Admission Requirements

All applicants, domestic or international, must meet one of the following English standards for admission to the program:

BC English 11* with a minimum of grade of B, or BC Communications 12* with a minimum grade of B; or
Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL): IBT 76 or higher, with no sub score less than 20 in Speaking and Listening and no sub score less than 18 in Reading and Writing, taken within the last two years; or
International English Language Testing System (IELTS): Overall band of 6.0 or higher, with a minimum of 6.0 in the Speaking and Listening band, and a minimum 5.5 in Reading and Writing band, taken within the last two years; or
Canadian Academic English Language Assessment (CAEL): Score of 60 or higher with no sub score less than 50, taken within the last two years

* Note: For applicants educated in an English-speaking environment for 7 nonconsecutive years of elementary or secondary school or 4 consecutive years of secondary or post- secondary school.

In addition, the following program admission requirements apply:

Attendance at an information session for the Health Care Assistant Program

Once students have received a conditional offer of admission and before final admission to the program is granted, students must submit the following:

Food Safe Level I
Standard First Aid Certificate
CPR Level C
TB test
An acceptable Criminal Record Check through the Ministry of Public Safety and Solicitor General's Criminal Records Review Program within 6 months prior to the start of the program.
Applicants who have lived outside of Canada as an adult are required to secure a Criminal Record Search with the Vulnerable Sector from their country of origin. Please contact the Office of Admissions for further direction on obtaining your criminal record check

Note: Students are also required to provide proof of up-to-date immunizations consistent with requirements of the Health Authorities prior to commencement in the practice experiences.

Students in the program are required to demonstrate the ability to perform a variety of cognitive, emotional and psychomotor skills safely and knowledgeably.

Continuance Requirements

Students are required to obtain a minimum grade of C in all required courses. Nonadherence to these requirements will result in removal from the program.

Curricular Requirements

Semester 1

All of:
	HCAP 1100	Health 1: Interpersonal Communication	2 credits
	HCAP 1110	Healing 1A: Caring for Individuals Experiencing Common Health Challenges	3 credits
	HCAP 1121	Health 2: Lifestyle and Choices	1 credit
	HCAP 1130	Healing 3A: Personal Care Skills	3 credits
	HCAP 1136	Health and Healing: Concepts for Practice	3 credits
	HCAP 1150	Clinical Practice: Complex Care	5 credits

Semester 2

All of:
	HCAP 1210	Healing 1B: Complex Health Challenges	3 credits
	HCAP 1220	Healing 2: Caring for Individuals with Cognitive or Mental Health Challenges	4 credits
	HCAP 1230	Healing 3B: Advanced Personal Care Skills	3 credits
	HCAP 1236	Health Care Assistant: Introduction to Practice	1 credit
	HCAP 1250	Health Care Assistant: Final Practicum	5 credits
	HCAP 1260	Technology for Health Care	1 credit