Purpose

The Health Care Assistant/English as an Additional Language (HCA/EAL) Certificate Program is designed to provide students with opportunities to develop the language, knowledge, skills and attitudes necessary to function effectively as front-line caregivers and respected members of the healthcare team. Under the direction and supervision of a health professional, graduates provide person-centred care aimed at promoting and maintaining the physical, emotional, cognitive, and social well-being of clients.

English language skills courses are integrated throughout the program and provide ongoing language development in listening, speaking, reading, and writing skill areas within the HCA context and at the target Canadian Language Benchmarks (CLB) level.

Upon completion of the program, graduates are prepared to work in a variety of health care settings, including home support, assisted living, residential/complex care, special care units, other home and community care settings, and acute care.

Duration

The Health Care Assistant EAL Program is 40 weeks in length. The maximum length of time to complete the Health Care Assistant program is 3 years from the date that a student initially started the program.

Learning Outcomes

Upon successful completion of this program, graduates will be able to:

1. Provide person-centred care and assistance that recognizes and respects the uniqueness of each individual client.

2. Use an informed problem-solving approach to provide care and assistance that promotes the physical, psychological, social, cognitive and spiritual well-being of clients and families.

3. Provide care and assistance for clients experiencing complex health challenges.

4. Provide care and assistance for clients experiencing cognitive and/or mental health challenges.

5. Interact with other members of the healthcare team in ways that contribute to effective working relationships and the achievement of goals.

6. Communicate clearly, accurately and in sensitive ways with clients and families within a variety of community and facility contexts.

7. Provide personal care and assistance in a safe, competent and organized manner.

8. Recognize and respond to own self-development, learning and health enhancement needs.

9. Perform the care provider role in a reflective, responsible, accountable and professional manner.

10. Demonstrate CLB Listening 7, Speaking 7, Reading 6, and Writing 6 outcomes and standards as evidenced by the performance indicators listed in the current CLB document.

Admission Requirements

All BC Health Care Assistant program applicants are required to demonstrate English language proficiency as set by the BC Care Aide and Community Health Worker Registry. VCC will adhere to the entry requirements set out by the Registry at: https://www.cachwr.bc.ca/Documents/Educators/English-Language-Competency_HCA-Program-Entry_2018.aspx. 

• Completion of VCC Health Care Assistant Program’s Self-Declaration form
• English Language Proficiency: The VCC HCA/EAL program requires higher Canadian Language Benchmark Placement Test (CLBPT) scores for admission than are listed in the Registry document. The CLBPT must have been completed within the last year with a Listening 6, Speaking 6, Reading 6 and Writing 5.
• Standard First Aid (Red Cross or St. John Ambulance) including current CPR level C or CPR Basic Life Support (BLS).
• CPR certificates expire one year from the date of issue. Current status is required for all clinical and practicum experiences.
• BC Food Safe Certificate Level 1.

Upon Acceptance:

• Criminal Record Check (CRC)
  • Students in this program are required to complete a CRC. The CRC must be completed according to VCC's Criminal Record Check instructions. Students whose CRC results indicate they pose a risk to vulnerable populations will not be able to complete the requirements of the program (e.g. practicums) or graduate. 
• TB Screening
  • Within six months of beginning practice education, students must submit a negative TB skin test. If the TB skin test is positive, a negative TB chest x-ray is required.
• Immunizations
  • An Immunization Record must be completed
  • Immunizations in the following are strongly recommended and in some case may be required for practicum placements:
    • Diphtheria/Tetanus/Pertussis
    • Polio
    • Measles, Mumps & Rubella
    • Varicella (Chicken pox)
    • Hepatitis B
    • Influenza (annually)
• N95 Respiratory Mask
  • An N95 respirator mask that is individually fitted by a trained provider, following CSA guidelines.
  • The individual mask fitting should be done just prior to beginning the program. Mask fitting must be done annually. Students are responsible for the cost of the mask fitting.
  • The original certificate must be presented to the department on the first day of class.

Program Requirements

Plan of Study Grid

Term One		Credits
ELSK 0701	English Language Skills 1	7.5
HRCA 1103	Lifestyle & Choices	1.5
HRCA 1105	Interpersonal Communications	3
HRCA 1120	Introduction to Practice	1.5
HRCA 1122	Personal Care & Assistance 1	2.5
HRCA 1135	Clinical 1	2
HRCA 1130	Health & Healing 1	3
HRCA 1140	Common Health Challenges 1	1.5
	Credits	22.5
Term Two
ELSK 0702	English Language Skills 2	6
HRCA 1224	Cognitive or Mental Challenges	3
HRCA 1227	Clinical 2	2
HRCA 1230	Health & Healing 2	1.5
HRCA 1240	Common Health Challenges 2	4.5
HRCA 1232	Personal Care & Assistance 2	3.5
	Credits	20.5
Term Three
ELSK 0703	English Language Skills 3	3
HRCA 1329	Clinical 3	5
HRCA 1328	Community Practicum	2
	Credits	10
	Total Credits	53

Evaluation of Student Learning

In theory courses, students are evaluated through written exams, assignments, and completion of journals. Laboratory and clinical performance is assessed by instructor observations of students in work experience situations.

Students must achieve at least a C+ (64%) in every theory course (HRCA courses) in order to proceed to the next level, or to graduate from the program.

In the English language skills courses (ELSK courses), students are assessed through the performance of tasks relevant to the healthcare context. Assessment rubrics, carefully designed using the target CLB performance indicators, are used to assess each task and provide ongoing feedback on the student’s performance. This assessment model supports ongoing needs assessment throughout each ELSK course, and directly links learning to identified student needs. For each clinical, a dedicated EAL instructor is on-site with the students to provide support and feedback.

Students must achieve at least a 60% in ELSK 0701 in order to proceed to the next level.

Students must achieve at least a 65% in ELSK 0702 in order to proceed to the next level.

Students must achieve at least a 70% in ELSK 0703 in order to graduate from the program.

Attendance of all classes and laboratory experiences is recommended in order to truly understand and master the theoretical and practical components behind the Health Care Assistant role.  

Prior Learning Assessment and Recognition (PLAR)

Prior learning assessment and recognition is not available for this program.

Transcript of Achievement

The evaluation of learning outcomes for each student is prepared by the instructor and reported to the Student Records Department at the completion of each level.

The transcript typically shows a letter grade for each course. The grade point equivalent for a course is obtained from letter grades as follows:

Grading Standard

Transcript of Achievement

Grade	Percentage	Description	Grade Point Equivalency
A+	90-100		4.33
A	85-89		4.00
A-	80-84		3.67
B+	76-79		3.33
B	72-75		3.00
B-	68-71		2.67
C+	64-67	Minimum Pass	2.33
C	60-63	Failing Grade	2.00
C-	55-59		1.67
D	50-54		1.00
F	0-49		0.00
S		Satisfactory – student has met and mastered a clearly defined body of skills and performances to required standards	N/A
U		Unsatisfactory – student has not met and mastered a clearly defined body of skills and performances to required standards	N/A
I		Incomplete	N/A
IP		Course in Progress	N/A
W		Withdrawal	N/A
Course Standings
R		Audit. No Credits	N/A
EX		Exempt. Credit Granted	N/A
TC		Transfer Credit	N/A

Grade Point Average (GPA)

1. The course grade points shall be calculated as the product of the course credit value and the grade value.

2. The GPA shall be calculated by dividing the total number of achieved course grade points by the total number of assigned course credit values. This cumulative GPA shall be determined and stated on the Transcript at the end of each Program level or semester.

3. Grades shall be assigned to repeated courses in the same manner as courses taken only once. For the purpose of GPA calculation of grades for repeated courses, they will be included in the calculation of the cumulative GPA.