Healthcare Assistants (HCAs) are employed by the National Health Service (NHS) in a number of locations, including hospitals and community clinics, and operate under the supervision of various medical experts. The specific duties and responsibilities of the function will change according to the field of employment. An HCA could work in conjunction with nurses in hospitals or midwives in maternity services. They might also do so in maternity services, mental health clinics, community clinics, or General Practice (GP) practices.
What exactly does it entail to work as a healthcare assistant?
The following are examples of possible duties:
documenting, observing, and monitoring the conditions of patients by collecting their temperatures, pulses, and respirations, as well as their weights
communication with patients, their families, and those caring for them
helping out with clinical responsibilities
Personal care, comprising measures to prevent and manage infections, providing nourishment and maintaining personal cleanliness, and providing general reassurance, comfort, and safety
fostering patients' good psychological, physiological, and nutritional wellbeing
confirming and placing orders for the goods
What kinds of possibilities exist for advancement?
There are openings for the position of Assistant Practitioner, in addition to the possibility of working toward a relevant foundation degree. Those who are working as experienced healthcare assistants at a senior level (often as an Assistant Practitioner or a level that is comparable) may be eligible to secure a secondment from their present job onto a relevant pre-registration program offered by a university.
HCAs have the option of pursuing a more traditional education and becoming nurses or midwives. Or, with more education, the Allied Healthcare professions could be something to look into. This is because there are so many different areas of employment to choose from, like art therapy, dietician, radiographer, speech and language therapist, and a great deal more. Follow the links provided below to investigate the available options further.