This discussion is now closed.
Check out other Related discussions
- What jobs can you do with a level 3 extended btec in health and social care?
- Where to go with my degree
- Applying for teaching assistant role
- Nvq or access?
- How to get a HCA job without experience?
- Teaching assistant job with level 3 health and social care
- What non clinical jobs can I do with H&SC LEVEL 3?
- Contemplating a degree in healthcare.
- Career in surgical nursing
- clinical psychology
- Masters in Clinical Psychology
- Having an interview on Maternity Support Worker
- How to become a paramedic
- Job interview
- Mental health nursing
- Statutory, voluntary, private, informal, social provisions
- psychology graduate can't find direction
- Supporting information for a job
- Failed adult nursing course
- HCA NHS band 2
Health Care Assistant
Slightly OT I know but thought it may be best to ask in here.
Has anyone ever been a HCA, if so what was the job like, what sort of tasks etc were you asked to do and how has it helped/not helped in your chosen health career now?
Has anyone ever been a HCA, if so what was the job like, what sort of tasks etc were you asked to do and how has it helped/not helped in your chosen health career now?
Scroll to see replies
hey
im a hca and the moment n its gr8!
i decided to go in2 nursing too late for the last intake so i thought id get sum experience at a local nursing home....def a good idea,
i dnt think u can really no if wot nursing is really like without been a hca or simular, general jobs is lookin after resident,getting them up, washing them, feeding them,bathing them, talking to them etc also assisting nurses, moving them, watching behaviour, cleaning up poo,vomit, take them to doctors,(everything they cant do or need assistance with)
its a tough bt rewarding job,im goin into mental health but my jobs mostly general not a problem as i still get experience as iv dealt wit dementia n difficult residents.
it also helped me soo much in the interviews as i could give better answer to questions and if you are thinking of being a hca before going in2 nursing let the nurses at your work know as theyre more likely to explain what they do more....
hope iv helped!!
im a hca and the moment n its gr8!
i decided to go in2 nursing too late for the last intake so i thought id get sum experience at a local nursing home....def a good idea,
i dnt think u can really no if wot nursing is really like without been a hca or simular, general jobs is lookin after resident,getting them up, washing them, feeding them,bathing them, talking to them etc also assisting nurses, moving them, watching behaviour, cleaning up poo,vomit, take them to doctors,(everything they cant do or need assistance with)
its a tough bt rewarding job,im goin into mental health but my jobs mostly general not a problem as i still get experience as iv dealt wit dementia n difficult residents.
it also helped me soo much in the interviews as i could give better answer to questions and if you are thinking of being a hca before going in2 nursing let the nurses at your work know as theyre more likely to explain what they do more....
hope iv helped!!
Cheers!
Ive got a place on a nursing course but thinking of defering to gain experience irst
Ive got a place on a nursing course but thinking of defering to gain experience irst
I am working as a HCA. I have worked in a nursing home and absolutely hated it.
I then got a job as a HCA in a hospital and i couldnt be happier.
A hospital environment is more unpredictable and anything can happen. Jobs however can be similar...
Attending to the general hygiene needs of patients/residents and other such jobs.
In a hospital, you carry out patient observations, assist doctors with certain procedures (nothing too clinical though - just a chest drain here and there!)
HCA's in a hospital setting are slowly taking over the role of what staff nurses used to do. (i.e the general care of the patients)
As staff nurses have more paperwork to complete and drugs to dispense etc...it is the responsibility of the HCA to inform the trained staff of any changes or concerns, that may go unnoticed!!
If you are looking for variety, I'd work in a hospital!! Youd love it!
I then got a job as a HCA in a hospital and i couldnt be happier.
A hospital environment is more unpredictable and anything can happen. Jobs however can be similar...
Attending to the general hygiene needs of patients/residents and other such jobs.
In a hospital, you carry out patient observations, assist doctors with certain procedures (nothing too clinical though - just a chest drain here and there!)
HCA's in a hospital setting are slowly taking over the role of what staff nurses used to do. (i.e the general care of the patients)
As staff nurses have more paperwork to complete and drugs to dispense etc...it is the responsibility of the HCA to inform the trained staff of any changes or concerns, that may go unnoticed!!
If you are looking for variety, I'd work in a hospital!! Youd love it!
it depends pretty much on the type of ward you work on. I tend to do nights as there is less work for more money (with exceptions of A&E and MAU which are busy pretty much 24/7).
As already said HA help patients with what is called "activities of daily living" and is just a posh way of saying dreshing, washing themselves, going to the loo, turning from one side to another, going for a walk, fiding glasses, eating, having a cup of tea you name it.
Depending on the ward and hospital you work in you may hae some additional duties to perform like recording fluid balance, taking obs, blood glucose etc
Generaly you are the one to answer patients calls and you need to be vigilant for any changes in their condition. The rule "if in doubt check it out" applies and if there is anything you are unsure of you need to ask qualified staff to have a look at the patient. For most of the time patients buzz becouse they just want another blanket or cup of tea though so you can sort them out on your own.
As already said HA help patients with what is called "activities of daily living" and is just a posh way of saying dreshing, washing themselves, going to the loo, turning from one side to another, going for a walk, fiding glasses, eating, having a cup of tea you name it.
Depending on the ward and hospital you work in you may hae some additional duties to perform like recording fluid balance, taking obs, blood glucose etc
Generaly you are the one to answer patients calls and you need to be vigilant for any changes in their condition. The rule "if in doubt check it out" applies and if there is anything you are unsure of you need to ask qualified staff to have a look at the patient. For most of the time patients buzz becouse they just want another blanket or cup of tea though so you can sort them out on your own.
I never realised just how much HCAs actually do!!, I am going to uni next month to train as nurse, but after reading the posts here it makes me wonder if its worth it seeing as how hcas are gradually taking over the role of staff nurses, what will my role be in 3 years time???, I am not going to uni if it means that all I will do when qualified is sit behind a desk all day on a computer and then do a drugs round!!!!, that is NOT nursing in my opinion, maybe I should just be a HCA? and save the NHS some money in bursarys. Nursing to me doesnt just cover the physical aspect of looking after a person its also psycological aspect, ok, I am ranting now, but I want to be a proper nurse!!!!!!!!, is that much to ask???
hmmm do see your point... it is a shame that the higher up the career ladder you go the less hands on contact with patients you seen to have and that the care out of nursing seem to be passed on to hca and replaced with paperwork, but i think the jobs wot u make it, and even tho hca's do alot nurses seem to do even more!
I didn't decide that i wanted to do nursing untill the January of the last intake. So i got a job a year ago at a nursing home, as well as doing an extra as level in biology (which i actually need now to get into uni, so it was a good job really).
I love my job, and the experience i have gained has been invalable, before that i really didn't have a clue because i had never done any work even close to nursing.
I have learned to work with such a variety of people, and some of the residents have special needs, some have dementia and there are others with mobility problems. I Also became quite close with one of the residents, who has recently died, and i got my first taste of what it will be like when i work with the elderley and have to cope with bereavment, and i had to speak to her relatives after the funeral. Basically it has all been a real experience, i went from not knowing whether i had made the right choice of course, to knowing for certain that it's right for me.
Bathing people and taking them to the toilet and doing all the hands on and so called "dirty jobs" has been just as enjoyable as the rest. It's been good to see my work directly affect and benefit someone else!
jo
xxx
I love my job, and the experience i have gained has been invalable, before that i really didn't have a clue because i had never done any work even close to nursing.
I have learned to work with such a variety of people, and some of the residents have special needs, some have dementia and there are others with mobility problems. I Also became quite close with one of the residents, who has recently died, and i got my first taste of what it will be like when i work with the elderley and have to cope with bereavment, and i had to speak to her relatives after the funeral. Basically it has all been a real experience, i went from not knowing whether i had made the right choice of course, to knowing for certain that it's right for me.
Bathing people and taking them to the toilet and doing all the hands on and so called "dirty jobs" has been just as enjoyable as the rest. It's been good to see my work directly affect and benefit someone else!
jo
xxx
lizziegee
I never realised just how much HCAs actually do!!, I am going to uni next month to train as nurse, but after reading the posts here it makes me wonder if its worth it seeing as how hcas are gradually taking over the role of staff nurses, what will my role be in 3 years time???, I am not going to uni if it means that all I will do when qualified is sit behind a desk all day on a computer and then do a drugs round!!!!, that is NOT nursing in my opinion, maybe I should just be a HCA? and save the NHS some money in bursarys. Nursing to me doesnt just cover the physical aspect of looking after a person its also psycological aspect, ok, I am ranting now, but I want to be a proper nurse!!!!!!!!, is that much to ask???
yes HCA's do a hell of a lot of the hands on work, but bear in mind on an average ward, you have 2 healthcares, 3 qualified and however many students on a shift.
if you list all of a healthcare's duties, then yes, it does seem like they do all the work us nurses should be doing, but if you put it into context (say a 30-bedded elderly medical ward, for example) then you'd see that actually, nurses do a lot of that work too...students even more so, it's all relative to the situation/clinical setting.
also, don't forget that there's nursing to be done in the community, it's not all about hospitals and wards...in fact, the way the NHS is going i'd say that by the tme you've qualified, a lot of the jobs going about will be community based...and i don't think i've ever seen a community HCA (except in care homes, but that's slightly different)...so i wouldn't worry, you're not being done out of a job!
Nursing to me doesnt just cover the physical aspect of looking after a person its also psycological aspect, ok, I am ranting now, but I want to be a proper nurse!!!!!!!!, is that much to ask???
Having HCAs on the ward actualy frees the nurse to some of that psychological care, patient education prior discharge etc instead of running from one bed bath to another. It is not like HCAs do everything and nurses sit behind the desk. Our duties overlap. I often work alongside the nurse when 2 people are required to assist the patient. HCAs are there to help nurses and I can asure you that after couple of years you will be happy to have somone to sort out those bed pans and make beds.
i don't think i've ever seen a community HCA
There is plenty of them. There are called carers or support workers though. It's not like community nurse is going to visit somone every day to get them out of bed, dispence meds, assist with eating etc. That is carer job. Nurses only come to look after catheters, dressings etc
Thats awful!!!!, that was the piont I was trying to make with my post!. I do not want to end up neglecting patients just because I have paper work to do, it is my job ( or will be) to ensure that patients are cared for properly, not left for hours( or days in the above case) unwashed, uncared for with the possilbility of wounds becoming infected because they arent dressed properly or at all, . The way some nurses behave completely appalls me, why on earth did they become nurses if they cannot do their job correctly?, you cannot put all the blame on the way the NHS is run ( or underfunded), how much does basic human compassion cost?, I would hate to think of any of my relatives being neglected when they are in hospital supposedly being cared for!!!, thats not caring, thats failure of duty!!!!!!!!!. Maybe I have an old fashioned view of what it means to be a nurse, but at the end of the day it is up to me to make sure that the patient is kept clean, dry, fed,medicated and above all maintain their dignity!!!!. Sorry for ranting ( again), but this is something I feel really passionate about, we do for them what they cannot do for themselves.. ( roll on university!!!!!!!!!)
Personaly I think that too many nurses are "wanna be a doctor" type. Nurse prescribers, practicioners consultants etc it is all good but not when it drags nurses away from basic patient care. If you want to diagnose and prescribe why not go into medicine for God sake.
I think that HCAs play important role (I like to think that I make some difference lol) but at the end they should be working under supervision and direction of qualified nurse who has the ultimate responsibility for the patient. I cannot believe that nurses can just go past patients who are unwashed, unfed etc. If they feel overqualified to deliver basic care fair enough but it is their responsibility still to make sure that it is done by HCAs. Student nurses are still expected to do most of the basic patient care working alongside HCAs (and learning from them, some HCAs hae many years experience andf definitely can teach a lot) but sadly many of them gives no velue to this sort of tasks and complain loudly of being abused and forced to do HCAs job when they are their to learn. I often wonder "learn what?" Drugs and procedures are all important but so is basic care. I never claimed that nurses should not be involed in basic care but having HCAs reduces the workload and is for patient benefit.
I think that HCAs play important role (I like to think that I make some difference lol) but at the end they should be working under supervision and direction of qualified nurse who has the ultimate responsibility for the patient. I cannot believe that nurses can just go past patients who are unwashed, unfed etc. If they feel overqualified to deliver basic care fair enough but it is their responsibility still to make sure that it is done by HCAs. Student nurses are still expected to do most of the basic patient care working alongside HCAs (and learning from them, some HCAs hae many years experience andf definitely can teach a lot) but sadly many of them gives no velue to this sort of tasks and complain loudly of being abused and forced to do HCAs job when they are their to learn. I often wonder "learn what?" Drugs and procedures are all important but so is basic care. I never claimed that nurses should not be involed in basic care but having HCAs reduces the workload and is for patient benefit.
I am sorry if I came across as though I was knocking HCAs and the work they do, I wasnt!!!!, just trying to put my view of nursing across and how I want to be involved with the patients care, thats all.I am sure without the help of HCAs many ward would grind to a halt!. Wonder what Florence Nightingale would say about how todays nurses are taught??.
why is it that everyone seems to be of the opinion that 'HCAs do this' and 'nurses do that', it really isnt that black and white, the whole point of HCAs is that they work alongside nurses in providing patients with the basic care that they need.
say you have on a typical ward shift 20-odd pt's, 2 HCAs are not, despite what appears to be common belief, going to be the only ones delivering that basic care to those pt's - be serious! Healthcare assistants are exactly that: assistants.
granted the boundaries of the nurses role have altered over the years, they're bound to given that the standard of care being delivered these days has also changed - what else would you expect, but it's not as if the job of the nurse has diminished entirely, it's not all paperwork either, not if you have appropriate time management skills, it's not hard to be a nurse and deliver basic care...think about it, as students thats exactly what we do...we're expected to carry out nursing duties (in order to learn), and also healthcare's duties...again in order to learn and develop
as far as i'm concerned if you can manage it as a student, you can manage it as a staff nurse. not all nurses sit at the nurses station doing paperwork, yes, plenty do, and thats their problem, but you don't automatically assume this stereotypical role the second you qualify and do nothing but paperwork all day long.
ever heard of leading by example?
------------------------------
of course...i forgot about support workers
i don't know about you but at the PCT i worked under, the nurses did far more than that...you know...like providing psychosocial care.
it's not so much about the jobs/tasks that you do..nursing is far more sophisticated than that
say you have on a typical ward shift 20-odd pt's, 2 HCAs are not, despite what appears to be common belief, going to be the only ones delivering that basic care to those pt's - be serious! Healthcare assistants are exactly that: assistants.
granted the boundaries of the nurses role have altered over the years, they're bound to given that the standard of care being delivered these days has also changed - what else would you expect, but it's not as if the job of the nurse has diminished entirely, it's not all paperwork either, not if you have appropriate time management skills, it's not hard to be a nurse and deliver basic care...think about it, as students thats exactly what we do...we're expected to carry out nursing duties (in order to learn), and also healthcare's duties...again in order to learn and develop
as far as i'm concerned if you can manage it as a student, you can manage it as a staff nurse. not all nurses sit at the nurses station doing paperwork, yes, plenty do, and thats their problem, but you don't automatically assume this stereotypical role the second you qualify and do nothing but paperwork all day long.
ever heard of leading by example?
------------------------------
belis
There is plenty of them. There are called carers or support workers though. It's not like community nurse is going to visit somone every day to get them out of bed, dispence meds, assist with eating etc. That is carer job. Nurses only come to look after catheters, dressings etc
of course...i forgot about support workers
i don't know about you but at the PCT i worked under, the nurses did far more than that...you know...like providing psychosocial care.
it's not so much about the jobs/tasks that you do..nursing is far more sophisticated than that
say you have on a typical ward shift 20-odd pt's, 2 HCAs are not, despite what appears to be common belief, going to be the only ones delivering that basic care to those pt's - be serious! Healthcare assistants are exactly that: assistants.
Exactly, on the wards I work on staff nurses angage in all aspects of patients care and are realy briliant. MAU is always busy and if they expected me to do all the patient basic careon my own I would be dead by the end of the shift lol. There are busy with druhs, IVs, procedures etc though, the stuff which I cannot do so it is only natural that I do not exactly expect them to drop everything to help me with making beds etc (I am getting better with those hospital corners now lol). On the other hand if there is any reason for me to be worried about the patient or unsure how to move them best etc they are always happy to instruct me. We work alongside each other doing many common tasks.
The amount of paper work is radiculus though. It gets down to HCAs as well. Lets take propery list for example. Busy day in MAU and I can feel in 20 of those :/. Not to mention observation charts but those are at least useful and important.
i don't know about you but at the PCT i worked under, the nurses did far more than that...you know...like providing psychosocial care.
They do that as well. But from my observation nurses rarely come on sole purpose of delivering psychological care. When they are already with the client then they often adress those issues though. I think Macmilian nurses and nurses from British Heart fundation are an examption. They often visit just to find how clients are coping without any specific procedure to be done. It is all down to luck of funds though not community nurses not being keen on psychological care.
^^ yeah, that's exactly it!
it just seems from the tone of some people's posts as if the general opinion here is that nurses only do paperwork.
actually, i found something from The Audit Comission not sure which year, but it seemed appropriate...
"18-20% of nurses time was spent away from their patients, but instead it was spent working on their behalf"
thats not all that long really.
(by the way, i didn't purposely look for that, before anyone thinks i'm that sad, i was looking for summat else. really.)
it just seems from the tone of some people's posts as if the general opinion here is that nurses only do paperwork.
actually, i found something from The Audit Comission not sure which year, but it seemed appropriate...
"18-20% of nurses time was spent away from their patients, but instead it was spent working on their behalf"
thats not all that long really.
(by the way, i didn't purposely look for that, before anyone thinks i'm that sad, i was looking for summat else. really.)
well, i dunno...i guess the way nurses practice varies depending on the hospital you go to. in the hospital i train at, all the nursing staff i've worked with work like blue-arsed flies, providing quality care to patients, even down to the menial tasks like washing down beds after patient's been discharged.
you can't judge the standard of care based upon something you saw on tv. especially given that, in my personal experience anyway, the majority of nursing care is provided when no-one else is about (when visitors and the like aren't on the ward). as a former nurse yourself surely you know what i mean?
also...tv programmes can be edited to show whatever the producer thinks the public want to see. given the way that filthy newspapers over-report bad things and under-report good things in the NHS, i'd hardly say the media was a reliable source with regard to hospitals.
you can't judge the standard of care based upon something you saw on tv. especially given that, in my personal experience anyway, the majority of nursing care is provided when no-one else is about (when visitors and the like aren't on the ward). as a former nurse yourself surely you know what i mean?
also...tv programmes can be edited to show whatever the producer thinks the public want to see. given the way that filthy newspapers over-report bad things and under-report good things in the NHS, i'd hardly say the media was a reliable source with regard to hospitals.
Much of the programme was centred in hospitals. In all but one scene nurses were shown as shuffling pieces of paper. The scene that actually showed a nurse with patient contact was one where the nurse was telling the patient he could go home.
Well you cannot exactly expect them to show nurse administering bed bath, taking patient to the toilet or even feeding the patient (I don't know about you but I would not agree to be shown on national TV being fed as a baby being so dependent on others).
Related discussions
- What jobs can you do with a level 3 extended btec in health and social care?
- Where to go with my degree
- Applying for teaching assistant role
- Nvq or access?
- How to get a HCA job without experience?
- Teaching assistant job with level 3 health and social care
- What non clinical jobs can I do with H&SC LEVEL 3?
- Contemplating a degree in healthcare.
- Career in surgical nursing
- clinical psychology
- Masters in Clinical Psychology
- Having an interview on Maternity Support Worker
- How to become a paramedic
- Job interview
- Mental health nursing
- Statutory, voluntary, private, informal, social provisions
- psychology graduate can't find direction
- Supporting information for a job
- Failed adult nursing course
- HCA NHS band 2
Latest
Trending
Last reply 1 week ago
I hate chemistry but I want to do radiography. Can I still get into a radiography?Healthcare
7
14
Last reply 3 weeks ago
Diagnostic and therapeutic radiography courses in clearing - 2024Healthcare
10
10
