INTERNATIONAL HEALTH CARE ASSISTANT FACE TO FACE DELIVERY
PROGRAM
PROGRAM OVERVIEW
Do you have a caring and compassionate attitude? Strong emotional resolve? Great patience?
A sense of professionalism? Consider a career as a Health Care Assistant (HCA).
Graduates of the Health Care Assistant Diploma Program are prepared to work in Extended and Intermediate (Multi-Level/Complex) Care Facilities, Home Support Agencies, Adult Day Care Centers, and Assisted Living residences. While the majority of program graduates provide care for seniors, our program prepares you to care for adults with a wide variety of chronic health conditions.
To meet the needs of Canada’s aging population, health regions across BC are opening thousands of new residential and assisted living units; the staffing needs for Health Care Assistants have never been greater. This is an excellent time to consider training and employment in this rewarding field as opportunities abound!
Students are eligible for registration as an HCA after they complete the theory, lab, contractor certifications, and practice education courses of the program. Stenberg College’s Manager of Nursing Education Delivery will guide and inform students on how to become registered as an HCA in the HCA110 course and then will reinforce the process once again in the HCA180 course.
For career opportunities, a Stenberg College Career Coach will be invited into one of the classes prior to practicum to inform the students of their support services in the area of writing cover letters, resumes, interview skills, networking strategies, as well as sharing any current job leads.
PROGRAM GOALS
The Stenberg College Health Care Assistant Program prepares graduates to:
1) Demonstrate the knowledge base, skills and attitudes consistent with industry expectations for entry level healthcare assistants.
2) Qualify for registration on the BC Care Aide & Community Health Worker registry
3) Gain employment in the field within 6 months of graduation.
TYPICAL JOB DUTIES
As a Health Care Assistant, you’ll be providing front line care in a variety of settings, working with people of a variety of ages who will depend on you for quality daily care, encouragement, and support. Your challenge will be to foster and maintain the client’s independence and trust.
You will be looking after people who have diminished abilities for self-care. Their friends and families must feel that they can trust you to look after their loved ones. Workplaces include care facilities, hospices, hospitals, community settings, and even seniors’ private homes.
You’ll need to develop skills in providing personal care, assisting with mobility, understanding basic anatomy and physiology, communication skills, and caring for a person with dementia.
Working with the elderly may also involve palliative care, which emphasizes easing the person’s pain, enhancing their quality of life, and supporting their family.
While working in a residential care facility, you will need to follow instructions from directors of care, nurses, managers/supervisors, and staff. You’ll also be required to make observations, note changes in the resident’s conditions and challenges. Listening and communicating with healthcare professionals and residents are key abilities.
PROGRAM DELIVERY FORMAT
You will complete 3 months of English Language Studies (ELS100) prior to beginning the provincial Health Care Assistant (HCA) Combined Delivery Program. You will then take English Language Studies (ELS200) on an ongoing basis throughout the program to continue improving your speaking and listening skills.
This full-time, 39-week, program is delivered in a face-to-face delivery format. Face-to-face theory and lab portions of the program are held Mondays thru Fridays. Portions of this program will be delivered online, using Moodle as the online learning platform. The Orientation & Student Success Skills course provides an opportunity where you’ll learn effective study habits (specifically to improve both reading and writing skills) based on your own personal learning style.
You will spend the first 31 weeks completing theory and lab courses, including contractor certifications, face-to-face and online. This will prepare you to immediately apply the knowledge and skills gained during the theory portion when you begin your 8-week, full-time, clinical placement.
POTENTIAL EMPLOYERS
As a Health Care Assistant, you could find employment in a:
- Hospital or Private – residential, extended, intermediate (multi-level/complex) care, or assisted living care facility
- Community care settings (i.e., Adult care Centre for Seniors)
- Home support agency
- Private home
- You may be self-employed, working independently as a personal care attendant.
WAGES AND CAREER OUTLOOK
Based on employment statistics gathered by Stenberg College, the wage range of students who completed the Health Care Assistant program and are working in their field of study is a starting wage of $22.80 to 25.33 per hour. The average reported entry-level wage of recent Stenberg College grads are $23.26 per hour.
IS THIS PROGRAM FOR YOU?
It is if you:
- are a compassionate individual
- have a sincere interest in helping others
- would like to work in a hospital or residential care setting
- can imagine yourself helping the elderly to meet their basic needs, such as getting out of bed, eating, and showering
ADDITIONAL CERTIFICATION YOU WILL ACQUIRE ON TOP OF YOUR HCA CERTIFICATION
The program also includes essential industry-related training and certification in:
- Red Cross Standard First Aid + CPR Level “C”
- FOODSAFE Level 1
- Provincial Violence Prevention Training Curriculum
- Dementia Care: Fundamental Knowledge, Skills and Competencies for Providing Person-Centred Care
- Workplace Hazardous Materials Information System (WHMIS)
- Taking Ownership in Palliative Care (Pallium Canada)
- Mental Health Challenges Certificate
- Medication Management for Health Care Assistants Certificate
- Body Mechanics & Back Safety Certificate
- HCAs in Acute Care Settings Certificate
Duration: 67 weeks with 28 weeks of PAID Coop
Intake: October 2021 // March 2022
ENTRY REQUIREMENTS:
- Grade 12 Equivalency ( at least 2 years in college for old curriculum)
- IELTS 6.0
Waived IELTS* (For Filipino Citizens only)
*English as the Medium of Instruction
*An English Exam will be conducted once you arrive on campus.
TUITION FEE:
TOTAL: $15,860.95 CAD
Initial Deposit: $5,150 CAD
WAIVED SCHOOL REGISTRATION FEE WORTH $400 CAD
