Title(s) Used
Health Care Assistant, Resident Care Aid, Nursing Aid, Long Term Care Attendant, Health Care Aid, Support Worker, Community Health Worker, Home Support Worker
Programs
HCA Certificate Programs are offered in:
- Public Colleges
- Private Colleges
- Adult Learning Facilities (secondary schools)
- Select Universities
Provincial Curriculum Guide
Provincial Curriculum Supplement 2nd Edition
Regulation
The Registry is a database of credentialed* or “registered” care aides and community health workers working for, or wanting to work for, publicly funded employers in BC. This includes acute care, assisted living care, long-term care, and home and community care.
All PSIs deliver the approved Provincial HCA curriculum from the Ministry of Advanced Education. Students can only receive registry numbers if they graduate from a PSI recognized by the BC Care Aide Registry as adhering to the standards laid in the provincial curriculum.
Additional
Health Care Access Program (HCAP) – paid tuition and clinical (new 2021)
Scope of Practice
Employment Prospects
Pre COVID pandemic:
- Shortages throughout Long term care and community home care.
- Full time jobs elusive in some areas of province. Many casual positions for evenings and nights.
During COVID pandemic:
- Exacerbated staffing issues due to the one site order – HCAs can only work at one site
- Provincial wide HCA recruitment pathway = fully funded seats in HCA cohorts and stipends for students with 1 year returns of service.
Educator Group
Provincial Articulation Group made up of public and private post-secondary institutions and industry stakeholders
Challenges
- HCA-PP – capacity of colleges to run numerous additional cohorts and find placements for practice education.
- Recruitment and retention of HCAs in this field.
- Violence and injury prevention.
