Course Details
Course Code:
HCAT 127
Calendar Description:
This supervised practice experience provides students with an opportunity to apply knowledge and skills from all other courses in the program with individuals in a multi-level or complex care setting. A portion of this clinical experience will be devoted to working with individuals experiencing cognitive challenges. Opportunity will be provided for students to gain expertise and confidence with the role of the HCA within a continuing care facility.
Date First Offered:
2010-07-01
Hours:
Total Hours: 210
Practicum Hours:
Formal Work Experience: 210
Total Weeks:
8
This course is offered online:
No
Pre-Requisites:
None
Non-Course Pre-Requisites:
None
Co-Requisites:
HCAT 110 Healing 1: Caring for Individuals Experiencing Common Health Challenges
HCAT 111 Health 2: Lifestyle and Choices
HCAT 112 Health 1: Interpersonal Communications
HCAT 113 Health Care Assistant: Introduction to Practice
HCAT 123 Healing 1: Caring for Individuals Experiencing Common Health Challenges
HCAT 124 Healing 3: Personal Care and Assistance
HCAT 125 Healing 2: Caring for Individuals Experiencing Cognitive or Mental Challenges
HCAT 126 Practice Experience in Home Support and/or Assisted Living
Rearticulation Submission:
No
Course Content:
Clinical practicum includes intermediate care, extended care, and special care utilizing Continuing Care facilities.
Learning Outcomes:
Upon successful completion of this course, learners will be able to:
1. Provide person-centred care and assistance that recognizes and respects the uniqueness of each individual resident or client:
- View each resident as a whole, unique individual
- Respect the individuality, independence and dignity of residents and families
- Display respect and sensitivity to individuals and families from diverse backgrounds and cultures
- Display a non-judgmental approach in all aspects of care provision
- Support the autonomy and uniqueness of residents and their families
- Encourage residents to share their thoughts, feelings and preferences
- View the older person as an individual possessing a wealth of experience, knowledge and wisdom
- Base care and assistance functions on the resident’s unique needs, capabilities and interests
- Provide clear information to the resident about the care or service to be provided and deal with questions or concerns in a calm, caring fashion
- Encourage residents to be involved in their own care
- Support resident independence
- Encourage residents to make choices and participate in decisions about their care, as they are able
- Encourage family involvement, as appropriate, in the care of their family member
- Observe family members for signs of stress and consult with an appropriate health care professional for direction
- Report abusive or neglectful situations promptly to a health professional for appropriate action
2. Use an informed problem-solving approach to provide care and assistance that promotes the physical, psychological, social, cognitive and spiritual well-being of residents and families:
- Assess the resident and situation using informed observation, reflection and communication
- Observe changes in the resident’s health status and report these changes to the appropriate health care professional
- Identify priorities for care within the care plan
- Be guided by knowledge of health, healing, human needs and human development
- Demonstrate an understanding of the interconnectedness of physical, psychological, social and spiritual aspects of health and healing
- Display an understanding of the importance of the family in health & healing
- Display an awareness of the role of culture, diversity and life experience in health and healing
- Utilize appropriate health team members as resources to augment one’s own problem-solving and decision-making
- Follow the care plan for each resident
- Consult with health team members to review and evaluate care and make modifications to the care plan as needed
- Carry out recording requirements in a timely fashion
- Use clear, current, factual, objective and relevant language when reporting or documenting resident information
- Utilize creativity when required to adapt care and service to a variety of contexts
3. Provide care and assistance for residents experiencing complex health challenges:
- Base choices and actions on a sound understanding of normal anatomy and physiology and common changes associated with aging
- Base choices and actions on a sound understanding of common challenges to health and healing
- Organize, administer and evaluate care and service for residents with complex health challenges
- Assist residents and families to maintain independent functioning within their capabilities
- Provide caring and supportive end-of-life care for residents in a manner that promotes comfort and dignity
4. Provide care and assistance for residents experiencing cognitive and/or mental health challenges:
- Organize, administer and evaluate care and service for residents experiencing cognitive and/or mental health challenges
- Base choices and actions on a sound understanding of the physical, psycho-social processes of dementia
- Base choices and actions on an understanding of environmental influences on behaviours
- Tailor interactions and responses based on an understanding of common mental health challenges
- Cope constructively with unanticipated or unusual situations
- Identify when crisis intervention skills are required and respond appropriately
5. Interact with other members of the healthcare team in ways that contribute to effective working relationships and the achievement of goals:
- Use caring, respectful communication with all members of the health care team
- Seek clarification, guidance and assistance from other health team members when needed
- Contribute observations and information to care planning sessions
- Communicate changes in the resident’s health status to the appropriate health team member so that the care plan is kept current
- Communicate with confidence and appropriate assertiveness
- Offer support and assistance to other health team members as appropriate
- Report and record relevant information in a clear, concise and objective manner
- Use appropriate lines of communication in accordance with agency, facility or employer standards and policies
- Identify problems, concerns and conflict within the health team and discuss these with appropriate team members in a timely function
- Approach problems or conflict in a non-threatening way
- Respond non-defensively to criticism or confrontation
6. Communicate clearly, accurately and in sensitive ways with residents and families:
- Demonstrate an ability to write and speak English in a manner that can be easily understood
- Use English in such a way as to be clearly understood
- Use appropriate volume, tone and vocabulary
- Use language and a communication style that is appropriate to the resident, family or situation
- Identify barriers to communication and make efforts to improve communication
- Interact in a manner that respects the rights, needs, interests and preferences of others
- Observe common courtesies such as addressing the resident and family member by name of choice and speaking in a manner to be readily understood
- Use touch appropriately and respectfully
- Use humour appropriately
- Maintain appropriate interpersonal and professional boundaries
- Respect and adapt to a family and resident’s cultural background
- Recognize non-verbal communication
- Use non-verbal attending skills including eye contact, body positioning and attentive facial expression
- Use active listening skills
- Use appropriate self-disclosure
- Utilize effective approaches to conflict management
- Demonstrate an understanding of the stresses experienced by residents and families as they are reflected in communication patterns
- Recognize abusive communication and report in accordance with agency/ facility or employer standards and policies
7. Provide personal care and assistance in a safe, competent and organized manner:
- Wear safe and appropriate clothing, including identification
- Adhere to the resident’s care plan
- Assess the resident and the environment prior to commencing care
- Adjust environments, as appropriate, to ensure safety and to promote efficiency
- Set priorities or make adjustments to the care process based on resident requirements
- Organize and implement care according to resident needs
- Organize time and equipment for safety and efficiency
- Base choices and actions on a sound knowledge of asepsis and body mechanics
- Adhere to infection control practices
- Report, verbally and in writing, unsafe work environments
- Encourage independence of the client/resident as much as possible
- Encourage family involvement in care whenever possible
- Recognize and make wise choices in situations of potential risk to self or others
- Encourage resident communication and engagement during personal care
- Maintain resident privacy and dignity
- Assist the resident with personal hygiene and grooming
- Assist the resident with movement and ambulation
- Use aids to promote comfort, relaxation and sleep
- Take and record vital signs accurately
- Provide specialized, sensitive care for the dying resident in line with palliative care principles
- Exhibit flexible and adaptable behaviour
8. Recognize and respond to own self-development, learning and health enhancement needs:
- Identify own learning and personal/ professional development needs
- Invite feedback from other health team members related to own performance
- Collaborate with appropriate health professionals to identify and utilize opportunities for specific learning and training enhancement
- Identify and utilize opportunities to learn from residents, families, and colleagues
- Share new learning with other health team members
- Reflect on own choices and behaviours as they contribute to physical, psychological, social, cognitive and spiritual health
- Strive to demonstrate increasingly healthful self-care practices
9. Perform the care-giver role in a reflective, responsible, accountable and professional manner:
- Comply with legal parameters of practice for HCA
- Foster and uphold the mission, policies and standards of the care facility
- Collaborate with other members of the health team
- Use appropriate lines of communication
- Clarify one’s own role to others when necessary
- Demonstrate dependability, reliability, honesty and integrity
- Reflect on one’s own values, beliefs and standards in relation to care-giving practice
- Recognize how one’s own beliefs, values, standards and cultural background may be different or similar to those of residents, and families
- Recognize how one’s own beliefs and values influence one’s responses to residents, families and situations
- Maintain a non-judgmental position in light of difficult or unusual resident or family situations
- Advocate on behalf of the rights, needs, interests and fair treatment of residents and their families
- Maintain resident and family confidentiality
- Set appropriate personal boundaries in interactions with residents and family members
- Promote own personal safety, health and well-being
- Challenge questionable actions or decisions made by other health team members
- Champion the role of the HCA on the healthcare team
Grading System:
Pass/Fail
Passing Grade:
Pass
Grading Weight:
Practicum: 100 %
Percentage of Individual Work:
100
Course Offered in Other Programs:
No
Additional Comments:
The courses in this program run concurrently.
Some course materials must be accessed on the NLC D2L server. A tutorial will be provided. Internet access is needed. Basic computer skills are recommended.
Some travel may be required.
Attendance is mandatory. A 15% absence may result in request to withdraw.
Text Books:
Required - Sorrentino, S., 2009, Mosby's Canada Textbook for The Support Worker, 2nd Canadian Edition (Elsevier). Chapters Covered: Selections