About pc3
News
College targeting health care as boomers’ needs start to rise.
The vanguard of baby boomers across Canada were expected to turn 65 this year, and a B.C. school is churning out health care aides as fast as it can to address the need.
Pacific Coast Community College students practise taking care of a patient in the “hands-on” part of their studies.
Educating 60 students at any one time, Pacific Coast Community College focuses on a slate of health care environments, many in senior care and other “hands-on” care facilities.
Instructor Laila hypothesizes as much as one-fifth of the Canadian population will retire in the coming future.
“We’re looking at a huge percentage — our senior demographics definitely on the rise,” she said.
The school has given opportunities to change careers for recent graduates like Charlene Litzenberger, a former dental receptionist in her 50s.
“It’s my style of learning, getting your feet wet right away,” she said.
“The books only take it so far; 90% of all our registered care aide jobs is the people.”
Brenda Burwash, 46, also had a career change. The 2007 graduate dropped the multi-million dollar cellphone accessories business she started at 21, deciding to turn her business savvy towards her own senior care service.“From my youth I had experience with my grandparents who were in a home and I was petrified I was going to visit them,” she said.
“Tome, it was talking down a long corridor of death. I didn’t know if they were alive or sleeping.
The smell was medicinal, it wasn’t a good experience.”
The Bridges to Live By founder said her company now visits seniors’ homes for on site care, providing what she calls “extended care” without having seniors leave their comfort zones.
Vancouver 24 Hours, October 3, 2011
Introduction to the BC Health Care Assistants Program
BC Resident Care Aide Inc. has been offering this full-time 19-week Health Care Assistant (HCA) diploma program since June 2002. Until June 2005 this program was offered in a partnership with Langara College Continuing Studies, with Langara’s role being mainly administrative. As of June 1, 2005, BC Resident Care Aide Inc. has been Registered and Accredited under PCTIA as a private school, allowing us to take over all administrative functions as well as our continued delivery of the program. With anticipated growth in our programs we have chosen the school name of PACIFIC COAST COMMUNITY COLLEGE effective April 1, 2006. The college is owned and operated by BC Resident Care Aide Inc.
The HCA program is particularly suited to adults;
- who want to learn how to provide direct healthcare to those in need
- who learn primarily by doing
- who want a recognized certificate
- who want a new career in a short period of time
This intensive program includes classroom, home study, and practicum hours. A new class starts every four weeks. As well as the HCA diploma, students receive CPR/First Aid, FoodSafe and WHMIS certification. Three of the new additional certificates we are now offering are ‘Diabetes,’ ‘Foot Care,’ and ‘Medication Administration,’ effective summer/fall of 2005.
The extensive training and experience of our administrative staff and our registered nurse instructors mean professional instruction and preparation for the workplace, as well as personal service for all of our students, who represent many cultures and many age groups.
We are committed to providing a quality educational experience and our reputation with students and employers attest to that fact.
Program Design Rationale
The program was designed with the idea that Health Care Assistants (HCAs) require basic theoretical knowledge of medical terminology, anatomy and physiology, disease processes pertaining to the elderly, hospital procedures and a large dose of practical application, supervised site experience.
Based on the above premise, the program is designed a little differently from other training programs. During the first two weeks of the nineteen-week program, students acquire basic knowledge, including CPR, which will be required for them to start their site experiences in the third week of the program. In other words, they learn the appropriate tasks and then they go out immediately and practice those tasks under the direction of a registered nurse, in small groups of less than eight students. All students rotate through three site experiences, hospital or long-term care facility, group home and childcare. These site experiences, along with weekly classroom instruction, support their preparation to work in a multitude of environments with all age groups. By the time students complete the practicum experience at the end of the program, they are fully functioning members of the work team.
Besides being involved with the program approximately three-four days per week, students are expected to spend time at home reading the text and completing workbook assignments. The program was designed this way, because many HCA students have other responsibilities. We also believe that this level of weekly commitment gives our students time to absorb the information, to enhance the learning process.
Program Fee
We believe that students should know from the beginning what the total program will cost them. Therefore, the program fee of $8995.00 includes all items necessary to the student’s success in the classroom and on site.
Each student receives the following:
- CPR and First Aid certificate
- WHMIS certificate
- FoodSafe certificate
- Textbook and Workbook
- Binder Notes
- Uniform
- Stethoscope
- Transfer belt
Students may pay for the program themselves, or they may access assistance from government and private organizations-Student Finance, Employment Canada, Workers Compensation, Trust Funds and Aboriginal groups.
Employment
Our graduates are employed in a full range of facilities across Canada. Hourly rates vary widely; for example, in the Vancouver market HCAs may be paid anywhere from $11 to $22 an hour. Average salary tends to be from $14 - $17 to start. Graduates are surveyed after three months and statistics are maintained regarding position titles, employers, hours and rates of pay.