Work as a Health Care Assistant

Health care assistants work on the frontline to promote and maintain the health, safety, independence, comfort, and well-being of individuals and families. They provide personal assistance and services, as a caregiver, and recognize the unique needs, abilities, and backgrounds of clients and their families.

Health care assistants are qualified to work in a number of settings including home support, assisted living, residential and complex care, special care units, and acute care.

Health Care Assistant Program

Vancouver Career College offers an integrated Health Care Assistant diploma program, which includes two practice experience placements.

This caregiver program offers training in mental health first aid, personal care and assistance, caring for individuals in palliative care, and caring for individuals with cognitive challenges, such as dementia.

Industry Certified

To be eligible to work as a health care assistant (HCA) in any public health care setting in BC, applicants must be registered with the BC Care Aide & Community Health Worker Registry. Click here for more information. If you plan a career as an HCA through studying an HCA program, students need to complete a recognized HCA program to be registered to work as an HCA in BC. The Health Care Assistant program delivered by Vancouver Career College is recognized by the BC Care Aide & Community Health Worker Registry.

Upon graduation from the Health Care Assistant diploma program, you will be eligible for registration with the BC Care Aide & Community Health Worker Registry.

This program has been approved by the registrar of the Private Training Institutions Regulatory Unit (PTIRU) of the Ministry of Advanced Education and Skills Training. The program is offered as an in-person program.

Admissions Requirements

Students must meet all of the pre-requisites listed below, meet their financial obligations with the college, and acknowledge their understanding of the college’s policies and procedures provided in the student handbook prior to starting classes. 
 

• Proof of Grade 10 completion or equivalent, OR mature student status 
• Proof of meeting HCA Program Entry – English Competency Requirements (see final page of this program outline) 
• Pass the College’s General Math Exam (with a passing score of 50%)

Note: For international students, a clear police certificate from the country of origin must be provided prior to acceptance.

Work Experience Placement Requirements

(Practice Education Experiences)

• First Aid Certification 
• CPR Level “C” Certification or “Basic Life Support (BLS)” Certification 
• Foodsafe Level 1 Certification (or a certificate course deemed equivalent) 
• Completion of the Student Practice Education Core Orientation (SPECO) (available on the LearningHub), which must include the following: 
  • A signed checklist SPECO Checklist.pdf (phsa.ca)
  • Proof of meeting current immunizations / vaccinations as per health care organization policies/guidelines (or signed vaccination exemption form, except TB) 
  • Criminal record check from the Criminal Records Review Program, including clearance to work with vulnerable adults 
  • Provincial Violence Prevention Curriculum E-Learning Modules
  • WHMIS – Provincial Course
• Completion of the Health Care Assistant Practice in BC E-Learning Modules (LearningHub) 
• Completion of the Recognizing and Responding to Adult Abuse course (LearningHub) 
• A health declaration completed by the applicant confirming they understand the role of the HCA and are prepared to learn and practice HCA skills and competencies. The declaration may also be used to identify any learning needs of the applicant (completed by the applicant prior to acceptance) 
• Dementia Care Training Certificate 
• Provincial Violence Prevention Curriculum In-Person Workshop 
• Physician’s Waiver and Vaccine Passport - (forms provided by college)* 

Note:

• TB Test is valid for only one year, and evidence of TB clearance must be obtained within six (6) months of the first clinical practice experience.
• Student should reach the age of 19 by the start of the first clinical practice experience. 

Practice education partner sites may also have additional training/certification standards that must be met prior to placement. Please refer to the Student Handbook for more information. 

English Language Proficiency Requirements

To be accepted into a recognized BC HCA program, applicants are required to demonstrate proficiency in English. Students must be able to communicate effectively in English to be successful in their studies and capable of providing safe and competent care to patients/clients/residents in the work environment during practice education components.

To ensure consistency and quality assurance, institution-created tests are not acceptable for the assessment of HCA program applicants. For clarification, three years of full-time instruction in English is defined as three (3) years of full-time secondary and/or post-secondary education in the English language at a recognized institution on the list of Approved English Speaking Countries. English as a Second Language (ESL) courses will not be considered.

Applicants who provide evidence of three years of full-time instruction in English must also provide proof of one of the following: 

• Completion of Grade 10 English (or higher). A minimum of a C grade is acceptable. 
• Completion of college courses determined to be equivalent to Grade 10 English (or higher) by post-secondary institutions. A minimum of a C grade is acceptable. 
• ACCUPLACER Next Generation Test Results: Reading 230, Writing 230 and Writeplacer 4 
• Applicants who cannot provide evidence of three years of full-time instruction in English are required to provide proof of one of the following standardized proficiency tests from an authorized assessment agency. 

In cases where applicants already hold the Canadian English Language Benchmark Assessment for Nurses (CELBAN) results (testing within the last two years), the following minimum scores will be accepted: Speaking 7, Listening 7, Reading 6, Writing 6.

In addition to the tests and test scores listed above (#2), recognized BC HCA Programs also have the discretion to accept HCA program applicants with a CLB Report Card from a LINC Program indicating “Completing” CLB Speaking 7, Listening 7, Reading 7 and Writing 7 AND “Recommended Class Placement” as Speaking 8, Listening 8, Reading 8 and Writing.

 

The registrar of the Private Training Institutions Regulatory Unit (PTIRU) of the Ministry of Advanced Education, Skills and Training has approved this program. The Health Care Assistant program is offered in person at the Burnaby campus.

For more information about our college policies, click the link below:
Student Handbook   Dispute Resolution Policy   Sexual Misconduct Policy   Refund Policy