Healthcare Assistant – Maternity Paediatric and Older Person Care
Certification
QQI Level 5Reference
5M4339Places
75Fees
€50This general Health Care Assistant (HCA) course prepares students to work as a member of the care team, assisting nurses in a wide variety of roles. This programme provides the HCA with the effective skills and knowledge to contribute to this important role in our health services.
Course groups are divided into specialist areas of study e.g. Maternity / Caring for Children.
PRINCIPAL AREAS OF STUDY
- Human Growth and Development
- Anatomy & Physiology
- Care Support
- Care Skills
- Safety and Health at Work
- Nursing Theory & Practice
- Maternity Care Support
- Caring for Children in Hospital
- Care of the Older Person
- Communications
- Work Experience (organised by college)
(Modules offered may be subject to change).
“My time training to be a health care assistant in Liberties College was a wonderful foundation to my career in healthcare. I am now a 4th year medical student in the Royal College of Surgeons and will qualify as a doctor next year. Before coming to the Liberties I had no connections to medicine and so struggled to get any work or hospital experience but knew I had an interest in the field. My time on placement in Our Ladies’ Children’s Hospital in Crumlin gave me incredible exposure to the multidisciplinary teams who work in hospitals and understand the roles of nurses, doctors and other health care professionals which allowed me to make a more informed decision that medicine was the course I wanted to pursue. My time as a HCA gave me insight into the work of hospital teams which will be invaluable to me for the remainder of my medical career.”
Evelyn Flynn
FEATURES OF THE COURSE
- This course meets an increasing need for trained support staff across the growing health service sector.
- Structured work experience organised by college in hospitals and healthcare facilities two days per week (November to May) and in block placement.
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Where the College provides work placements, students will be interviewed for the places and course attendance will be considered as part of the selection process.
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Course work is active and experiential, including manual handling, first aid and the practical competencies of a Healthcare Assistant in the different areas covered.
- Garda vetting for work experience
NOTES: Students taking up work experience placements in healthcare facilities must provide evidence of vaccination against or immunity to specified conditions. Students will be required to satisfy this requirement prior to placement (further information from the College Office)
PROGRESSION
Progression opportunities are available through the Higher Educaton links scheme, for example:
- DC215 L8 General Nursing – Dublin City University
- DN450 L8 General Nursing – University College Dublin
- DC209 L8 Health and Society – Dublin City University
EMPLOYMENT
- Healthcare Assistant in General Hospitals and Nursing Homes
- Healthcare Assistant in community based care settings
- Family and Community Services
ENTRY REQUIREMENTS
All our classes are delivered in English. If English is not your first language you may be able to avail of supports in advance of starting a full-time course. We work in partnership with our colleagues in Adult Education Service who run an ESOL and preparation for college course(s) which you may be able to attend in advance of your full-time studies. If you have any questions, about these supports please email [email protected]