Health Care Assistant Upgrade

This program prepares individuals with previous health care assistant education and experience for practice in BC. It is designed to address individual needs as identified through the Nursing Community Assessment Service (NCAS) HCA Competency Assessment. It enables individuals to review and enhance previously acquired knowledge and upgrade their skills to meet practice requirements so that they may become registered as HCAs in BC with BC Care Aide & Community Health Worker Registry.

The Upgrade Program includes the following:

1. Comprehensive Theory Review Modules (2 months, 155 hours)
The theory review component is designed to be completed in a self-paced and self-directed format, with online learning modules and assessments. Students will work at their own pace, and an HCA instructor will be available to answer content-specific questions and to support student progress.

2. HCA Lab Skills Review and Skills Testing (1 month, 20 hours)
After completing the theory review, students will be oriented to the skills lab and will work with an HCA instructor for a basic HCA skills refresher before being assessed for a complex care placement.

3. Supervised Practice Experience Multi-Level/Complex Care (40 hours)
Students will be assigned to a clinical setting under the supervision of an HCA Clinical Instructor, where the student will be expected to meet program learning outcomes in the practice setting.