Transitional & Continuing Education for Health Care Assistants

As part of the registration process with the BC Care Aide & Community Health Worker Registry, you may be required to complete a competency-based assessment. Following the competency assessments, you may be required to take additional transition courses if the assessment indicates you have “undemonstrated competencies.”

Continuing education courses available to Health Care Assistants are also listed below. These courses are optional to take if you would like to increase your knowledge in certain areas.

Please note that this list is not exhaustive and focuses on learning opportunities offered by non-profit and publicly funded organizations. Private training institutions may offer relevant courses as well; these can be searched on a centralized directory.

Health Care Assistant Practice in British Columbia

Health Care Assistant Practice in British Columbia is a free online, self-paced course that provides an overview of information that is relevant to HCA practice in the province of British Columbia. This 5-hour course develops an awareness of HCA parameters of practice in BC and the different types of health care settings where HCAs work. It covers the importance of working collaboratively in the health care team and highlights key concepts such as person-centred care as well as legal, ethical and professional approaches to practice.

This course is available on the LearningHub. For more information and a list of other Learning Hub Courses that may be of interest to HCAs, click here.

PACE for PSWs: Palliative Care Education for Personal Support Workers

This online education program is designed for Personal Support Workers (PSWs), Health Care Assistants (HCAs) and Continuing Care Assistants (CCAs) to develop skills and knowledge and become more comfortable in caring for people with life-limiting illnesses. Participants will become more comfortable and confident when providing palliative care and supporting families. The program consists of ten, self-paced, online courses. Each course is 1.5 to 2 hours. Participants who complete the ten course program will receive a National Palliative Care Education Certificate.

See the PACE for PSWs Website for more information and to register.

Strategies and Actions for Independent Living

This online facilitated course focuses on practical skills that can be applied immediately in learners’ work settings to promote their clients’ health and safety. The course equips home care aides with evidence-based tools in effective communication, team-building, identification of risk factors, and implementation of proven strategies for fall prevention. This is a 3-week, online course, with no requirement to be online at any particular time (expect 3-5 hours’ study time per week). See the University of Victoria website for more information and to register.

SafeCare BC Courses

SafeCare BC is committed to providing outstanding professional development for continuing care workers in BC as well as connecting continuing care workers to other professional development opportunities. Courses include:

Violence Prevention
Creating Connections: Working with People with Dimentia
Safe Resident Handling

Learn more.

Core Indigenous Cultural Safety Health Training

San’yas: Indigenous Cultural Safety Training is a unique, on-line training program designed to enhance self-awareness, and strengthen the skills of those who work both directly and indirectly with Indigenous people.

Core Indigenous Cultural Safety (ICS) Health Training focuses on health care issues for professionals working with Indigenous people in British Columbia.

The Core ICS Health is specific to those who work in the health care field and the goal is to improve access to health services and health outcomes for Indigenous people. Learn more.

Mental Health First Aid

This course covers first aid for helping a person who is experiencing a mental health problem or mental health crisis. Learn more.

Long-term Care Management

This four course, part-time, online program is designed primarily for staff who aspire to move into leadership positions within the rapidly expanding long-term care industry, but is also open to individuals with experience in other industries. The program will provide an overview of the key concepts necessary for successful leadership in long-term care. For program description, click here.

Mindfulness-based Stress Reduction

Mindfulness is “paying attention, on purpose, in the present moment, without judging.” Often, we can be lost in our thoughts or distractions and miss out on what really matters in our lives. Offered over eight evenings plus one full-day retreat, this program offers guided mindfulness meditation practices that help participants learn to focus their energy and attention, and manage distractions and stresses to live mindfully. Learn more.

Activity Assistant Program

The program provides specialized professional development for individuals who have previous education and training in health care (LPNs, RNs, HCAs, and home care aides) or community support (education assistants and community support graduates). Participants learn to plan and implement supervised activities for older adults with cognitive and physical impairments, gain hands-on experience, and make employer connections with supervised practicum experience.

BC Post-Secondary Institutions that offer an Activity Assistant Program:

Choose a Career in Providing Care

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