Can I be a Health Care Assistant with no experience?
Posted on 12th August 2020The job of a care assistant is often the first step onto a career ladder that can open you up to a whole world of opportunities that you never knew existed.
Some people begin the role and enjoy the patient contact so much that they remain in that role for the rest of their working life. Others use it as a stepping stone onto other careers. Either way, becoming a care assistant is an important and rewarding job. In this blog we look at how to become a care assistant and what qualifications and career opportunities exist.
A care assistant is a job title most often associated with staff employed by a care home – hospitals, GP surgeries and NHS Trusts employ Healthcare Assistants.
You might also hear the position referred to as a Carer, Domiciliary Carer or Support Worker. Each position is defined by the environment it is based in but they basically all involve similar tasks.
What do Healthcare Assistants do?
HCA’s provide and support patients with their personal care such as washing, dressing and toileting is common – they might also assist with eating and drinking.
The role involves helping to provide and maintain the patient in an acceptable level of comfort and dignity whilst they are in your care.
There will be an element of documentation involved and HCAs are required to keep the Nurse or Senior Carer informed about any changes or concerns about the patient.
HCAs are given a period of training before they undertake these tasks without direct supervision and support from a senior member of staff.
How to become a Care Assistant.
Care Assistants are much in demand in the current climate. With an aging population and a growing shortage of care staff available to look after them, with the right skills, the world can be your oyster once you have some experience.
The first step is to find a job that doesn’t require experience, check out our current vacancies here: https://completecareagency.co.uk/careers/
As a new HCA, you will be required to undertake the Care Certificate which was first introduced in 2015 after the Cavendish Review identified the need to ensure that all care staff had a standardised approach to their training.
This is a work-based training programme that trains new care workers in the skills they will need to perform the role.
What skills and traits do I need?
How you speak to and listen to those in your care is at the very core of the job so communication skills are key.
You are dealing with vulnerable people who need you to treat them with compassion and dignity.
If you’ve worked in customer services or retail, you’ll have lots of transferable skills.
Equally, simply being a parent, caring for older family members or babysitting younger children can demonstrate skills that can be replicated into care work.
Do I need any qualifications?
There are no basic entry qualifications required to become an HCA. Just a willingness to learn and a good level of English.
You will receive all the training you require as part of your initial induction.
