Health Care Assistant

Health Care Assistant- NCFE evel 3 Award
Supported Home Study
Course Summary

Reach Your Potential in Health Care
Are you caring, patient and always looking to help others?

Looking after people with an illness or disability brings with it a high level of personal satisfaction and the respect of friends, family and the health care professionals you work with.

Health Care Assistant Course Outline

Open learning improves career prospects and earnings
Study at home learning to become a Health Care Assistant.

If you want a career as a Health Care Assistant, our tutor supported open distance learning Health Care Assistant course provides the necessary knowledge, skills and qualification without disrupting your current lifestyle.

Medical Terminology:

In order to become a successful health care assistant you must have knowledge of modern medical terminology. In this section of your programme you will be learning about...

• Basic word structure
• Suffixes and prefixes
• Organisation of the body
• Body systems
• Diagnostic tests and procedures
• Common abbreviations and symbols

The Health Care System:

• The role of the nursing assistant
• Communication skills and observation skills relating to patients, residents and clients
• Infection control and general safety measures
• Proper body mechanics and procedures
• Admitting, transferring and discharging patients
• Creating a comfortable patient environment
• Methods of bed-making
• Working in the home health care field

Knowledge and Skills Required to be a Successful Health Care Assistant:

• Personal care of the patient and everyday procedures
• Emergency care and specific guidelines
• Anatomy and physiology of the human body
• The musculoskeletal system and related care
• The integumentary, circulatory and respiratory systems and related care
• Procedures for measuring vital signs
• Nutrition, the digestive system and related care
• The urinary system and related care
• Procedures for specimen collection

Other Body Systems, Related Care and Special Procedures:

• The endocrine system and the care of the diabetic
• The reproductive system, the nervous system and related care
• "Warm" and "Cold" procedural applications
• Caring for the surgical patient
• Special needs patients and surgical procedures
• Neo-natal and pediatric care
• The older patient and long-term care
• Rehabilitation and return to self-care
• The terminally ill patient and post-mortem care
• Beginning your career as a health care assistant