Health Care Assistant: Introduction to Practice (HLSC 600)

This course is designed to help participants understand the health care system and culture in British Columbia, and the role of the Health Care Assistant (HCA) in the province. This course will appeal to students who have come to BC from other parts of Canada, or other parts of the world, as well as native British Columbians who want to work as Health Care Assistants.

Please note: this course will not provide the qualifications necessary to receive a BC Care Aide Registry number.

For more information on becoming an HCA or for an assessment of existing skills and credentials, please visit the BC Care Aide website here. 

For information on the full Health Care Assistant program offered by Douglas College, please visit the program homepage here. 

By the end of this course, students will

• understand and be able to discuss the foundational concepts that are integral to Health Care Assistant practice;
• understand the health care system in Canada generally, and British Columbia specifically;
• discuss the legal and ethical issues in health care assistant practice, and the role and responsibilities as an HCA within the health care team;
• understand the rights and responsibilities of HCAs; and
• gain practical skills and techniques for finding the right HCA job.

$594.00

Textbook not included in tuition fee. Contact the Douglas College Bookstore for prices and ordering information.

An overview of Foundational Concepts

• Caring
• Critical Thinking
• Diversity and Culturally Sensitive Care
• Reflective Practice
• Responsibility & Accountability
• The Health Care System in Canada and BC
• Home & Community Care
• Models of Care
• Legal & Ethical Issues
• Ethics
• Human Rights, Clients’ Rights
• Abuse and Neglect
• Scope of Practice; Delegation of Tasks
• Standards of Care
• Team Work in Health Care Settings
• HCA Roles and Responsibilities
• Working in Varied Settings
• Policies and Procedures
• Reporting and Recording
• Confidentiality
• Legal Implications
• Being an Employee
• Employment Standards, Occupational Health and Safety
• Unions, Registry
• Finding Employment (optional content)
• Choosing a Work Setting
• Job-Finding Skills

A course package of pages from Mosby’s Canadian Textbook for the Support Worker, 3^rd edition (2013) by Sorrentino, Wilk & Newmaster

This is the textbook used by most Health Care Assistant programs at colleges throughout BC. If you wish to look at the whole textbook, it will be available at most public college libraries. We have retained the original page numbers to make it easier if you are looking at the textbook. The course pack pages will be presented in the module they apply to; you may also be directed to look back at earlier modules for readings.

As well as the course pack, there will be links to other documents and to websites for you to read.

Interactive online course in Blackboard.

Due to the nature of an online delivery, the student will be expected be proficient in computer skills including email, adding attachments, navigating the internet etc. Resources for getting started with Blackboard are available online to help get the student comfortable in the Blackboard environment.

Grade will be assessed based on completion of:

• 3 discussion postings
• 4 activities/assignments
• 6 quizzes
• Final exam (65% required to pass exam)

Minimum grade to pass is C (65%).

Successful course completion proven with official transcript request.  

Registration is easy: simply call CE Registration at 604 527 5472 and quote the CRN (below) for the session you are interested in. Payment of the tuition fee must accompany registration.

Instructions on how to access your course materials will be emailed to you by the Program Assistant within five (5) business days prior to your chosen course start date.