Health Care Aide / Attendant
JOB DETAILS
Salary Range
$36,000 – $47,000
Recommended High School Courses
Grade 12 English
Grade 12 Math
Grade 10, 11 or 12 Science
So, what exactly is it that you’ll be doing as a Health Care Aide? Well, working under the supervision of a nurse or other health care professional, you’ll be providing services to seniors and individuals with medical conditions or developmental disabilities, in their homes, in hospitals, and in continuing care facilities.
Specific duties might vary, but basically you’ll assist with bathing, dressing, transferring and assistance with feeding. You may also help clients with therapeutic procedures like exercise, simple wound care, administration of respiratory equipment, as well as medication assistance and reminders. Another responsibility is monitoring behavior changes and ensuring client safety.
Plus there’s considerable physical activity involved in helping people to move, bath, dress and perform other daily activities. Good general health, knowledge of body mechanics and proper lifting techniques are required to avoid injury. Your duties as a Health Care Aide may require you to lift items weighing up to 20 kilograms, or be on your feet for long periods of time.
Health Care Aides are employed by clients, private agencies, continuing care facilities, government social service departments and agencies, not-for-profit charitable agencies, home care and family service associations, hospitals.
Health Care Aides and home care attendants perform some or all of the following duties:
- Answer call signals
- Supply and empty bed pans; bathe, dress and groom patients; serve meal trays
- Feed or assist in feeding of patients and assist patients with menu selection
- Lift, turn or massage patients; shave patients prior to operations
- Supervise patients’ exercise, set-up and provide leisure activities for patients
- Accompany patients on outside recreational activities; and perform other duties related to patient care;
- Take patients’ blood pressure, temperature and pulse; report or record fluid intake and output
- Observe or monitor patients’ status and document patient care on charts; collect specimens such as urine, feces or sputum; administer suppositories, colonic irrigations and enemas
- Perform other procedures as directed by nursing and hospital staff;
- Transport patients in wheelchair or stretcher for treatment or surgery;
- Carry messages, reports, requisitions and specimens from one department to another;
- Make beds and maintain patients’ rooms ;
- Maintain inventory of supplies;
- May perform maintenance tasks such as assist with the set-up and maintenance of traction equipment, clean or sterilize equipment, maintain and repair equipment, assemble, setup and operate job-related equipment
Links to Sites
Training & Education Routes
Notre Dame Campus
(Six different campuses)
Phone: 204-632-2327
E-mail: register@rrc.mb.ca
Assiniboine Community College
Phone: 204-725-8730
Toll Free: 1-800-862-6307 ex 6228
Email: hhs@assiniboine.net
Université De Saint-Boniface
200, avenue de la Cathédrale
Winnipeg, MManitoba R2H 0H7
Téléphone: 204-235-4408
University College Of The North
The Pas Campus:
Phone: 204-627-8500
Toll Free: 1-866-627-8500
Thompson Campus:
Phone: 204-677-6450
Toll Free: 1-866-677-6450
Winnipeg Technical College
Herzing College
(Winnipeg)
Healthcare Aide:
Phone: 204-775-8175
E-mail: wpg-info@herzing.ca
Academy of Learning
(Winnipeg South, Selkirk, Steinbach, Pine Falls)
Robertson College
(Winnipeg & Brandon)
Phone: 204-926-8389
Email: info@robertsoncollege.com
High Schools
West Kildonan Collegiate
Phone: 204-586-8061
St. James Assiniboia School Division
Phone: 204-888-7951
Email: inquiries@sjasd.ca
RB Russell Vocation High School
Phone: 204-589-5301
Email: office@rbrussell.or
Career Development Institute – Business
Interested in the Health Care Aide course? Speak to your school councilor to see if it is offered at your high school.