HCA 101 Concepts for Practice

Detailed Course Content, Topics, and Sequence Covered

1. 1. Introduction to the course and the course Assessments Characteristics of Caring and Person-Centered Practice • Caring as a moral ideal: What is caring? • What distinguishes a caring act from an uncaring act? • Caring in a health care context. • Values and beliefs about care and caring. • Promoting the dignity and worth of self and others. • Self-building and self-caring as the basis of becoming an effective care provider. • Caring and power — power positions vs. relational positions with others. • Independence, dependence, and interdependence. • Independence and self-esteem. • Promoting self-determination. • Promoting quality of life — who decides what it means to each person. • Social and community models of care. • Supporting personal preferences and choices. • Recreation and socialization and how they affect quality of life. • Preventing isolation and unnecessary dependence. • Living at risk — what it is and why it is an option — the right to self-determination and choice. Basic Human Needs • Hierarchy of needs: ◦ Physiological ◦ Safety and security ◦ Love and belonging ◦ Self-esteem ◦ Self-actualization and self-fulfillment • Interrelationship of needs. • Factors that affect needs and meeting the needs of clients and families. • Unique factors that affect needs and meeting the needs in older adults. • Observing and reporting unmet needs.

2. 2. Diversity • Relationship between diversity and person-centred care. • Impact of diversity on aging, and health and healing, including : ◦ Race and ethnicity. ◦ Culture. ◦ Generational differences. ◦ Gender identity, gender expression, and sexual orientation. ◦ Religious and spiritual diversity. • Diverse practices in health and healing, including the role of traditional medicines, healing practices, and alternative forms of healing. • Prejudice and discrimination. • Impact of inequity and discrimination on the quality of care. • Cultural safety and cultural humility. • Culturally safe and sensitive care. Family in Health and Healing • Family development. • Diverse family units. • Changing family structures. • Socio-cultural, religious, environmental, and economic influences on the family. • The role of family in health and healing: ◦ Coping and adapting ◦ Decision-making • Understanding the impact of stress on family care providers. • Families experiencing conflict or other dysfunction. • Supporting the family.

3. 3. Human Development • Principles and stages of human development. • Common developmental tasks and characteristics of: ◦ Infancy ◦ Toddlerhood ◦ Preschool period ◦ School age ◦ Adolescence ◦ Young adulthood ◦ Middle adulthood • Developmental tasks, characteristics, and changes in the older adult: ◦ Physical changes ◦ Psychosocial challenges ◦ Loss as part of aging ◦ Diversity in older adults ◦ Factors influencing aging Protection and Safety in Health and Healing • Factors affecting the need for protection and safety (health, age, lifestyle, and cognitive or mental health challenges). • Realities and challenges. • Promoting and maintaining safe environments in various health care settings (complex care, community care, acute care), including: ◦ Reporting unsafe equipment. ◦ Maintaining a clutter-free environment. ◦ Recognizing and reporting vermin and vectors. ◦ Safety when working alone. • Roles and parameters of practice in relation to safety. • Risk management – definitions and approaches. • Following the plan of care to address safety of the client and of the HCA. • Living-at-risk issues: respecting the client’s choice to live at risk when an informed choice has been made. • Emergency and critical incidents: ◦ Recognizing critical incidents.

4. 4. ◦ Recognizing situations where critical incident debriefing is warranted. ◦ Recognizing appropriate actions by the HCA in response to emergency situations (for example, recognizing and responding to cardiac arrest in complex care, acute care, and community care settings). ◦ Recognizing emergency codes used in acute care settings, specifically codes blue, white, yellow, and red. ◦ Recognizing the HCA’s role during emergency codes (activating help, assisting other team members as directed, communicating, and collaborating with other team members).

5. 5. Critical Thinking and Problem-Solving • Critical thinking as a caring concept. • Relationship between critical thinking, problem-solving, and decision-making. • Components of effective problem-solving and decision- making. • Problem-solving in relation to time management. • Care planning as a problem-solving process. • Steps in the care-planning and problem-solving process: ◦ Observing – gathering information (including the client’s unique personal history, achievements, strengths, and preferences). ◦ Consulting with the client and health care team. ◦ Establishing priorities. ◦ De ning the problem or care requirement. ◦ Identifying the goal for care. ◦ Creating an action plan. ◦ Implementing the action plan. ◦ Evaluating. • Care-planning process in health care settings, including complex care, community care, and acute care. • Concepts of client acuity and how these factors in uence the HCA’s problem-solving and decision-making regarding care provision and prioritization of care activities. • Role of HCAs in planning care. • Reporting and recording. ◦ Common practices in different healthcare settings, including complex care, community care, and acute care settings. ◦ Paper-based documentation (e.g., ow sheets, records, charts). ◦ Electronic-based documentation. • Electronic health records (EHRs). • Tools used for EHRs, including computers, tablets, and mobile devices. • Common health technology systems in B.C. • Privacy, con dentiality, and security requirements.

6. 6. Presentations

7. 7. Summative Assessment