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How do I Train to be a Nurse While Working as a Healthcare Assistant?

How do I Train to be a Nurse While Working as a Healthcare Assistant?

Feeding patients is just one of the healthcare assistant's many roles.

ProNurse

A healthcare assistant, or HCA, also known as an auxiliary nurse, is a very important role in healthcare who work with nurses and other health professionals to look after patients in a wide range of healthcare settings.

So what is the difference between a nurse and a healthcare assistant?

Healthcare assistants work under the guidance of qualified nurses, while nurses are qualified to work without direct supervision.

Healthcare Assistants main duties consist of looking after a patient’s general needs and well being. This can include:

• Feeding patients
• Washing a dressing patients
• Helping them with their toilet requirements
• Making beds
• Helping patients feel more comfortable or helping them to move about
• Taking basic health measurements such as pulse, temperature and weight
• Applying simple dressings

These duties are very important for the patient’s well being. This can be both in terms of keeping the patient clean and healthy, but also in the role of ‘being there’ for the patient.

Healthcare assistant qualifications

There is not a standard minimum level of qualification to become a healthcare assistant, but you will be expected to have a good basic education or some relevant work experience.

Like nursing you will need to be able to communicate well with people and gain their trust. This is very important as you may be working within their personal space. You need to be patient and be dedicated enough to carry out messy and repetitive tasks.

Healthcare assistant training

HCA’s tend to be trained on the job and may get the opportunity to gain NVQ qualification in care at Levels 2 and 3.

Level 2 will lead to more responsibility as a Healthcare Assistant and Level 3 is the minimum entry level requirement for training to be a nurse.

Training to be a nurse as a healthcare assistant

You may be seconded by your employer to a part time training course if you have been employed for more than a year. You will be paid for the time you spend training towards your nursing qualification and it usually takes between three and five years to complete.

What does training to be a nurse involve?

We have lots of articles about the process of becoming a nurse. Just follow the links for more information.

Become a Nurse Section
10 Steps to Becoming a Nurse
Training to be a Nurse after having Children
Access to Nursing Courses
All About Funding

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