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Advice or Tips for a New Healthcare Assistant?

Hi everyone,

I've got a job on an emergency assessment unit at a fairly busy hospital as a HCA, I'm really pleased but as this is my first HCA role I'm quite nervous too.

I was wondering if anyone had any advice for me, I'm hoping to gain as much experience as possible as I'm studying adult nursing from September and want to go into uni as prepared as possible!

Thank you!

Reply 1

Joeb88

Original post by CharlotteC66

Hello Charlotte,

Firstly, congratulations on your new job. I'm sure it will provide invaluable experience in the lead up to your career in nursing.

I myself have worked in the same role as you for over 6 years now, though I will be leaving it to read medicine in September of this year.

The main piece of advice I can offer you is to ask LOTS of questions. Take advantage of the different areas of expertise of each professional discipline. I have usually found staff to be more than happy to explain something. Remember that for doctors in particular, a significant part of their role is teaching, so I find they are often able to explain complicated topics with ease.

Secondly, don't simply complete your own roles and responsibilities. Offer to take on additional tasks on the ward (time permitting!) There are unfortunately too many "well that isn't my job" sorts around so everyone likes to see someone who is enthusiastic and interested to get involved with it all. What's great about doing this is that you are afforded additional learning opportunities. It helps if you have made everyone on the ward aware of your future career ambitions.

I hope that is of some help. Best of luck with it all. PM me with any further questions.

Reply 2

CharlotteC66

Hello,

Thank you so much for your detailed response!

I'll definitely make sure to get stuck in, I want to learn as much as I can, so hopefully they won't mind explaining things to me all the time haha.

I'll make sure to speak to the doctors if possible too :smile:

Thank you again,

Charlotte

Original post by Joeb88

Reply 3

Joeb88

No problem, I'm glad to help.

Good luck! :smile:

Reply 4

Moonbrains

Congratulations :h:

I agree with the other poster... ask questions and lot's of them! Don't ever think you are asking too many questions, or silly questions. For me in this role there is no such thing as a silly question :excited:

Make sure to carry a note book with you, this is extremely helpful especially when your new! You can jot down things your learning or things you need to remember to do or pass on throughout the day etc.

Ask to watch things, ask if you can help a nurse or doc with stuff. I was working on my ward recently and a patient was getting leach therapy after an operation so I asked to go watch the nurse as she applied the leaches and changed the dressing. I was fascinated! You can also just be there for moral support for patients sometimes who need it and this is really important!

I guess I just can't stress how much you just ought to get involved, if a patient needs help feeding, offer to do it or help, if a patient passes away ask if you can help a nurse with last offices... the list goes on.

Familiarize yourself with where everything is, where is the gauze/surgical tape kept? Scissors? Where do you get the bits and bobs to refill the BM machine? Put stock away when you can so you can figure out where stuff is :smile:

Learn your way to different places, the pharmacy, fracture clinic, x-ray etc. If someone is taking a patient to x-ray ask for permission to go along too so you can learn your way around!

And obviously, get chatting with your patients! Be friendly, approachable and reassuring. Your not expected to know everything, just to refer patients to the nurses when your unsure about stuff they are asking. You'll become familiar with the routines to. Avoid disturbing nurses to much if they are doing the drugs round, try and find someone else to help because they need to concentrate on what they are doing.

Answer the telephone, look through the patients notes, ask about the paper work, all the skin bundles, falls charts, stool charts, fluid charts, food charts and so on and so forth.

And lastly, if your interested in watching surgery, ask if you can go along sometime either go in specially on a day off or try and squeeze it in whilst your supernumerary!

You'll do grand :biggrin:

Best of luck to you!

(edited 7 years ago)

Reply 5

NatsP29

If you are going to be there for a while or hope to move up, my advice to you is to work hard and make a good impression. In time, senior members of staff will open you to privileges such as observing met calls, shadowing doctors or putting you forward for advanced skills training!!

Reply 6

dismith036

Hi, I have found this thread as I am in exactly the same position. Although I work in the Emergency Department as a Receptionist, I have been offered a full time post as a HCA working in the Emergency Department. I too am so excited as it is something I have wanted to do for a long time but could never find the right avenue to get in until now. I also have just turned 50, so starting fairly late in life for a new challenge, something completely out of my comfort zone from Admin, which is what I have done for most of my life.I have found your answers to the above post quite helpful and valuable and I too will be trying my best to fit in and adapt as most of the nursing staff recognise me as admin staff and although they are all chuffed for me to be joining the team on their side, I am somewhat apprehensive as to whether I will measure up as they are all such a great team of HCA's and nursing staff. All I can do is jump in both feet, and listen, learn and help, I know on my first shadowing shift as a Bank Staff, I was willing to go in to Resus to watch and unfortunately the patient died, but I helped wash down and prep the patient for the viewing room, my first deceased body I had seen in my life, so was quite proud. I guess this is the way i should carry on, just be willing to do anything I am asked, if it falls within my capabilities of my job role. Good luck to in your job and hope you enjoy and succeed to your nursing role.