[rae_]

Hi

I've decided to enter the wonderful of the Gap Year as I know my AS grades were not that great due to family issues and my laziness etc.

Any who I want prepare early and decided I want to be a HCA because I love working with the elderly and disabled plus I want to explore the world. Here's the problem: I don't know where to begin and apparently I need a NVQ qualification for it which I don't think I could handle to do in A2 + the AS' I'm retaking. I was wandering whether anyone has advice for how to become a HCA without the qualifications. I live in London of that helps

Also has anyone got ideas for what else to do during the gap year other than work experience and travelling.


Thanks

Apologies for any grammar mistakes; I'm quite tired

[Sherbet]

Noo idea.
I took a gap year due to rubbish AS grades, I did a ski season (best thing ever, but usually impossible to do because you need to be in the UK for interiews, I was lucky), I'm working at a special needs camp in America for 2 months this summer.

I think you can get on the job training for HCA work. Just be proactive about finding a job, and about organising a gap year. It can be really boring or the most incredible year of your life if you make the most of it, start planning during year 13 and have an incredible time! I'll be jealous haha.

[GodspeedGehenna]

You don't need an NVQ.

Have a look at jobs advertised on the NHS Jobs website.

[rae_]

(Original post by Sherbet)
Noo idea.
I took a gap year due to rubbish AS grades, I did a ski season (best thing ever, but usually impossible to do because you need to be in the UK for interiews, I was lucky), I'm working at a special needs camp in America for 2 months this summer.

I think you can get on the job training for HCA work. Just be proactive about finding a job, and about organising a gap year. It can be really boring or the most incredible year of your life if you make the most of it, start planning during year 13 and have an incredible time! I'll be jealous haha.

Thanks for the help and encouragement . How much is your trip to the USA, I don't think my parents would be convinced that I'll not buy a a whole department store instead of looking after the children.... Did you do some work experience? And how did you justify the gap year?

Well done for getting into Leeds by the way

[rae_]

(Original post by GodspeedGehenna)
You don't need an NVQ.

Have a look at jobs advertised on the NHS Jobs website.

Thanks, I've tried but they mostly require a level 3 NVQ :/


Ah nevermind I found a place that doesn't

[jennaz77]

I'm on a gap year working as a health care assistant at kings college hospital. You definitely don't need an NVQ. All I had was some work experience at a care home, although I know some others who got the job without any care experience. You can find available jobs on NHS jobs website, read the person specification and base your application around it.

It's a fantastic job, and really good pay, especially on London. Although its really really tough, I've had to clean diarrhoea, wrap dead bodies, bathe patients with infectious diseases, run after mentally ill patients at 2am in the morning, a lot more. Make sure you know about the job you apply for and what sort of patients you will have to care for.

[rae_]

(Original post by jennaz77)
I'm on a gap year working as a health care assistant at kings college hospital. You definitely don't need an NVQ. All I had was some work experience at a care home, although I know some others who got the job without any care experience. You can find available jobs on NHS jobs website, read the person specification and base your application around it.

It's a fantastic job, and really good pay, especially on London. Although its really really tough, I've had to clean diarrhoea, wrap dead bodies, bathe patients with infectious diseases, run after mentally ill patients at 2am in the morning, a lot more. Make sure you know about the job you apply for and what sort of patients you will have to care for.

That doesn't put me off

Wait?! No experience? Are you working in a carehome or hospital?

[AishaTara]

(Original post by jennaz77)
I'm on a gap year working as a health care assistant at kings college hospital. You definitely don't need an NVQ. All I had was some work experience at a care home, although I know some others who got the job without any care experience. You can find available jobs on NHS jobs website, read the person specification and base your application around it.

It's a fantastic job, and really good pay, especially on London. Although its really really tough, I've had to clean diarrhoea, wrap dead bodies, bathe patients with infectious diseases, run after mentally ill patients at 2am in the morning, a lot more. Make sure you know about the job you apply for and what sort of patients you will have to care for.

how many hours did u do a week working wise?

[jennaz77]

(Original post by rae_)
That doesn't put me off

Wait?! No experience? Are you working in a carehome or hospital?

Like I said, I work at kings college hospital. I think maybe you looked at the requirements for a band 3 healthcare assistant, but for band 2 you don't need any qualifications or experience, although some may say its desirable to have some care experience. When you look on NHS jobs look out for band 2 jobs and look carefully at the essential requirements.

[jennaz77]

(Original post by AishaTara)
how many hours did u do a week working wise?

I work 37.5 hours a week which is usually 5 early or late shifts (7.30-15.30 or 12.30-20.30) or 3-4 long shifts (7.30-20.30)

[rae_]

(Original post by jennaz77)
Like I said, I work at kings college hospital. I think maybe you looked at the requirements for a band 3 healthcare assistant, but for band 2 you don't need any qualifications or experience, although some may say its desirable to have some care experience. When you look on NHS jobs look out for band 2 jobs and look carefully at the essential requirements.

Thanks once again. Oh cool. I'm going start volunteering at Kings in a few days

Hey do you mind me PMing later for advice etc?

[jennaz77]

(Original post by rae_)
Thanks once again. Oh cool. I'm going start volunteering at Kings in a few days

Hey do you mind me PMing later for advice etc?

Yeah sure, ask me whatever you want, I'll try my best to answer

[NornIronKitKat]

Or you can do bank HCA-ing which is great because you can pick and chose when to work, and you see so much more. I've been in clinics, on AAU, on surgical and medical wards, as well as spending time with the critical care nurses doing their outreach work!

[Sherbet]

(Original post by rae_)
Thanks for the help and encouragement . How much is your trip to the USA, I don't think my parents would be convinced that I'll not buy a a whole department store instead of looking after the children.... Did you do some work experience? And how did you justify the gap year?

Well done for getting into Leeds by the way

Mine probably wasn't as relevant as jennaz77's experience (which sounds incredible but tough).

Took a gap year because I got ABC after year 12, retook during year 13 and applied on my gap year.
Didn't really justify it as such. Started off by picking up rowing, carried on with volunteering 2 or 3 times a week (this was hard for me to fit in at times due to work) and I had 2 jobs, they were very customer facing but NOT at all medical. I also did a short course open uni course. Could show that I could manage my time, had outside interests, could get on with people that I worked with, could work in a team in a busy environment.

Then did a ski season, a goal I've always wanted to complete, met so many people, very hard work, you learn tons about working with other people and dealing with peoples expectations. Taught me independence etc.

I saved money on my ski season but I think I'll just break even for America, you have to pay for flights, visa, police check, health check, you have a month on your visa at the end for travelling. I've got really interested in special needs so I'm going to a special needs camp over summer, very excited but daunted!

I had a few weeks of work experience and loads of volunteering, you don't need more than a couple and I was struggling for more. It's better to be a HCA on a gap year than spend 4 weeks shadowing a cardiologist etc.

My gap year isn't super medical but I still got 4 offers, and didn't outright get asked about it at interview, but I used my experiences for loads of questions.

My "thing" has probably been travelling, I did World Challenge, raised money to do work experience in India and will have spent 7 months away this year in France and America working, you've got to turn your "thing" into a pro on your application.

[TillyOB]

I worked as a teaching assistant for a while in schools for pupils with profound and multiple learning difficulties. I absolutely adored it- working with children on long term ventilation and extremely complex medical conditions and being involved in their day to day care and learning is incredible. I didn't have any actual hospital work experience and got offers. I've spent too long in hospital to want to be a hca...

There is loads of work in London too, if you did 2 weeks work experience you could easily get a long term placement through an agency. Obviously it's only term time and you might feel that HCA work would be better, but I would thoroughly recommend doing something like that. Great fun, wonderful people and there's so, so much to be learnt from it. If you want any advice about schools in London send me a message. Good luck!

[Revent]

If it helps, I've got a job offer as a HCA at a hospital in London starting this summer and I didn't need an NVQ for it. Go to NHS jobs and apply for every job there. Also make sure you read their person specification. Secondly, you don't need to worry about it this early on. I applied this March or April and am starting next month, so don't worry too much.

[BeanofJelly]

Good thing about HCA is that if you're on the bank - you can just keep it up year after year and it's very flexible. I've been spending my summers on the bank for 3 years during medschool, I'll probably only stop doing shifts when I start working as a doctor!

[rae_]

(Original post by jennaz77)
X

Gracias

(Original post by NornIronKitKat)
!

Wow that sounds awesome . My only concern is whether I could integrate myself as part of the team rather than feel like a lone wolf travelling from ward to ward. How did you cope?

(Original post by Sherbet)
X

Cool any advice with coping with resits? I pretty certain I may have retake a whole AS or two ;/

(Original post by TillyOB)
!

How did you manage to get the job? It seems like a nice alternative. Thank you for willingness to help me

(Original post by Revent)
X

How was the interview process? Good luck in starting the job

(Original post by BeanofJelly)
!

Wow that's amazing. I would love to continue working/volunteering if I get into med school, would you advise so?


Thank you all for your help; you are all AWESOME

[Revent]

(Original post by rae_)
Gracias



Wow that sounds awesome . My only concern is whether I could integrate myself as part of the team rather than feel like a lone wolf travelling from ward to ward. How did you cope?



Cool any advice with coping with resits? I pretty certain I may have retake a whole AS or two ;/



How did you manage to get the job? It seems like a nice alternative. Thank you for willingness to help me

How was the interview process? Good luck in starting the job



Wow that's amazing. I would love to continue working/volunteering if I get into med school, would you advise so?


Thank you all for your help; you are all AWESOME

They are scenario based questions, ie what would you do in this situation? That kind of stuff. You do need SOME experience in caring for others so you might want to take this time to get that out of the way. I personally was a mentor for students for a while and did my 2 week work experience at a kids club. As for the elderly, I used to look after my grandmother.

[BeanofJelly]

(Original post by rae_)
Wow that's amazing. I would love to continue working/volunteering if I get into med school, would you advise so?

Yeah, you won't find a better paid job which is as enjoyable or relevant. Although don't expect too much, you won't be a medical student getting teaching, you'll be at work - and its much more to do with nursing than medicine. But imo, understanding nursing is an important part of being a doctor.

Volunteer during medschool if you want - but (to my knowledge) there aren't that many volunteering jobs (certainly in UK) which bring you close to doctors or particularly help you to learn medicine. Which is more of the angle of experience you may be looking for once you are actually a medical student. Ofc - there may be other things to get out of volunteering.