Health Care Aide

What to expect from the program

NorQuest College is licensed to deliver the Health Care Aide Government of Alberta Provincial Curriculum.

Graduates of the HCA Provincial Curriculum offered through NorQuest will meet the following mandated program learning outcomes which will help them to:

1. Perform competently within the roles and responsibilities as a HCA within the Alberta and the Canadian health care system.
2. Demonstrate professionalism, accountability, and responsibility as a HCA within a collaborative care team.
3. Provide ethical person-centred and culturally competent care to support, promote, and maintain the health and well-being, safety, independence, and comfort for the client across the lifespan in all health sectors.
4. Apply foundational theory, principles, and evidence-based practices to provide holistic care for clients across the life span and across all health sectors.
5. Communicate effectively with the collaborative care team.
6. Perform skills competently according to evidence-based guidelines across a variety of care settings for clients with various health needs and conditions.
7. Work with the collaborative care team to set and achieve common care goals.
8. Maintain safety of self, client, and environment by following government legislation, agency policy, and procedures.
9. Respond appropriately by recognizing, acting, reporting, and recording while integrating knowledge, practice, and experience to provide quality care.
10. Complete ongoing self-reflection to continuously develop HCA competencies.

Graduate with experience

NorQuest College believes in the importance of on-the-job experience that provides an enriched learning opportunity.

You’ll graduate from this program with 320 hours of work experience from three practicums.

Clinical placements

You will work full-time during the practicum and provide your own transportation to the facility.

You will have two instructor-led clinical placements and one preceptored clinical placement.

Health Care Aide Workplace Education

Are you currently working as a health care aide, or in an equivalent care-giving position, and want to become certified? The Health Care Aide Workplace Education option is offered throughout Alberta in partnership with health-care employers. It can be taken over twelve months, allowing you to study at home and have your skills assessed by a NorQuest College trained tutor at your worksite.

HCA Provincial Comprehensive Exam

A passing grade in the HCA Provincial Comprehensive Exam after all course work is completed is a requirement for being awarded the HCA Certificate. This exam is administrated by the HCA Directory and learners are required to pay the exam fees directly to the Directory.

Career opportunities

Health care aides work under the direct or indirect supervision of a regulated health professional, such as a nurse, in a variety of settings including:

• Assisted living facilities
• Home care
• Long-term care

Upon successful completion of the program, you will be prepared to work in continuing care institutions, home care agencies, group homes, assisted or supportive living facilities, day programs, specialized care centres and programs, acute care hospitals, and private care.

For more information on related careers see: 

• ALIS OCCinfo occupational profiles
• ALIS WAGEinfo salary info

What to expect as a health care aide

Health care aides provide basic health services, assistance, and support with daily living activities for clients who have medical conditions or major functional limitations.

Applicants should assess their ability to fulfill the demands of the health care aide occupation.

As a health care aide, you must be able to:

• Work day, evening, and night shifts any day of the week
• Be on your feet for extended periods of time
• Bend, squat and lift up to 40 pounds to move clients who have minimal body strength
• Function effectively in stressful situations
• Perform all skills independently