Health Care Assistant

Orientation Workshop

This course will provide a comprehensive orientation to Stenberg College and the Health Care Assistant program you have enrolled in. As with all new things, there will be some challenges and excitement; this workshop covers student success skills where you’ll learn effective study habits (specifically to improving both reading and writing skills) based on your own personal learning style. You will be able to navigate through Moodle efficiently. Upon completion of this workshop, you will be ready for learning in the online environment.

Health and Healing: Concepts for Practice

This course provides students with the opportunity to develop a theoretical framework for practice. Students will be introduced to the philosophical values and theoretical understandings that provide a foundation for competent practice as a HCA. The course focuses on concepts of caring and person-centered care; basic human needs and human development; family, culture, and diversity as they relate to health and healing. Students will also be introduced to a problem-solving model that will be critical to their practice.

Clinical Prerequisite Certifications

This course includes certification workshops that you will be required to complete related to the essential industry-related training and certifications that are mandatory before you may begin your Practice Education. Students are required to attend (in-class) training facilitated by a contractor. In addition to this, the required online practice education prerequisites and additional certificates are listed below and will be done throughout the course.

Health Care Assistant: Introduction to Practice

This course provides an introduction to the role of the HCA within the British Columbia health care system. Students will be introduced to the health care team and the roles and functions of HCAs within the team. Students will also have opportunities to develop self-reflective skills required for competent practice and will be introduced to effective job-finding approaches.

Health 1: Interpersonal Communications

This course focuses on the development of self-awareness, increased understanding of others and development of effective interpersonal communication skills that can be used in a variety of care- giving contexts. Students will be encouraged to become more aware of the impact of their own communication choices and patterns. You will have opportunity to develop and use communication techniques that demonstrate personal awareness, respect, and active listening skills.

Health 2: Lifestyle and Choices

This course introduces you to a holistic concept of health and the components of a health-enhancing lifestyle. Students will be invited to reflect on your own experience of health, recognizing challenges and resources that can impact lifestyle choices. Students will be introduced to a model that can be applied in other courses to understand the multi-faceted aspects of health and healing.

Healing 1: Caring for Individuals Experiencing Common Health Challenges

This course introduces students to the normal structure and function of the human body and normal bodily changes associated with aging. Students will explore common challenges to health and healing in relation to each body system. Students will also be encouraged to explore person-centred practice as it relates to the common challenges to health and, in particular, to end-of-life care.

Healing 2: Caring for Individuals Experiencing Cognitive or Mental Challenges

This course builds on content from other courses to assist students to explore concepts and care giving approaches that will allow them to work effectively with individuals experiencing cognitive and mental challenges. The emphasis in this course is on supporting clients with dementia, recognizing responsive behaviours and identifying person-centered intervention strategies.

Healing 3: Personal Care and Assistance

This practical course offers students the opportunity to acquire personal care and assistance skills within the parameters of the HCA role. The course is comprised of class and supervised laboratory experiences which assist the student to integrate theory from other courses to develop care-giver skills that maintain and promote the comfort, safety, and independence of individuals in community and facility contexts.

Clinical Placement in Multi-Level and/or Complex Care

This supervised practice experience provides students with an opportunity to apply knowledge and skills from all other courses in the program with individuals in a multi-level or complex care setting. A portion of this clinical experience will be devoted to working with individuals with dementia. Opportunity will be provided for students to gain expertise and confidence with the role of the HCA within a residential care facility.

Preceptorship Placement Multi-Level/Complex

Directly following the Clinical Placement Multi-Level/Complex Care, this 2 week supervised preceptorship will provide Students with the opportunity to put both their classroom learning and hands-on experience gained in the clinical setting into practice, as they move towards independence in the workplace. An opportunity will be provided for students to gain expertise and confidence with the role of the HCA within a residential care facility and gain abilities that will prepare graduates to assume the role of a Health Care Assistant. Students will work closely with an experienced HCA Preceptor who will act as a mentor to guide, encouraging Students to apply insight, critical thinking skills and self-awareness in the reality of a work setting.

Home Support and/or Assisted Living Practicum

This practice course provides students with an opportunity to apply knowledge and skills from all other courses with individuals and families in a community setting. Opportunity will be provided for students to become more familiar with the role of the HCA within a Home Support Agency and or Assisted Living Facility, and to gain abilities that will prepare graduates for employment in these settings. It is important that students understand the philosophy of community care settings and its emphasis on client choice and independence.