Health Care Assistant

The work

Health care assistants, also known as nursing assistants and nursing auxiliaries, help other health care professionals with the day-to-day duties surrounding patient care. Patients may be elderly, suffering long-term sickness, recovering from surgery, have mental health problems, physical disabilities or learning difficulties.

Their work involves

Health care assistants work in hospitals, residential care homes, and the community, assisting patients with tasks they cannot manage on their own. Some assistants visit and support patients in their own homes.
In hospitals they may escort patients between hospital departments, assist with treatments or examinations, keep the ward tidy, check and sort supplies and help with paperwork.
Health care assistants working with patients who have mental health or learning disabilities, may generate activities to increase their self-confidence. This can involve shopping trips or outings to leisure facilities.

Course content:

1. Dignity and privacy
2. Health and oral care
3. Communication skills
4. Manual handling and pressure area care
5. Risk assessments
6. Washing and dressing
7. First aid and safety
8. Infection control