Health Care Aide Certificate

Columbia College’s Health Care Aide program follows the Government of Alberta Health Provincial 2019 curriculum.

 Full Time 2 Terms (32 weeks in total)

• Duration: 32 weeks
  • 24 Weeks Theory/Lab: 4-hour classes, Mon – Fri
  • 8 Weeks Practicum:  8-hour shifts, scheduled any day of the week
• Supported Tutorials (Friday – 12 pm – 5 pm) and on-line Learning Activities

Clinical Experience

• Students will be required to travel to various locations in order to complete their clinical and practicum placements. Clinical and practicum placements will be provided as available. Every effort is made to accommodate students in clinical placements within the time frame of the program, however in rare instances there may be a delay in program completion until a clinical placement can be arranged.

 Facilitator to Student Ratios:

• Classroom / Lab: 24 Students to 1 Facilitator
• Practicum: 8 Students to 1 Facilitator

For the Health Care Aide portion of the program, theory classes will be offered via a distance delivery format through TEAMS sessions with a facilitator. Lab classes will be held on-site at the college, and clinical placements will be at designated sites.

Each course will continue to be scheduled in their regular semesters, and will be expected to be delivered in the same time period as a face-to-face class. Classes may include (but are not limited to):

• Interactive webinars
• Discussion forums
• Group work
• Daily Tests

Students can apply for admission into the Health Care Aide program through either Standard Admission or through Mature Admission. Please review the two types of admission below to see which type fits your circumstances.
All applicants must provide Rubella immunization proof, and provide a Police Information Check, with Vulnerable Sector Search to their advisor during the admission process.
Mature Admission

• Be 19 years of age or older
• Out of high school for 1 year
• Successfully meet entry levels on Columbia College’s Accuplacer assessment test or equivalent (See Academic Proficiency Requirements below)

Or
Standard Admission
The following requirements must be met to be eligible for entry into a licensed HCA program.
Academic English Language Arts (ELA)

• Grade 11, 20-2 level course, with a minimum score of 60% achieved or Canadian jurisdiction equivalent; or
• English 20-1 with a minimum of 60% achieved or Canadian jurisdiction equivalent; or
• English 30-1 or 30-2 with a minimum of 55% or Canadian jurisdiction equivalent; or
• Deemed equivalent by completion of ACCUPLACER (assessment placement test)

Note:Students who have not completed the ELA, 20-2 level requirement and achieved the minimum grade are subject to completing the ACCUPLACER assessment test. This can include students out of province, out of country or mature students that have been out of school for a significant length of time.
English Language Proficiency (ELP)
Candidates where English is a Second Language (ESL) must meet the English Language Proficiency requirement in addition to the Academic English requirement. Equivalencies are as follows:

• Required Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) of a minimum of 7 in each of the 4 language skills (speaking, listening, reading and writing) and not an average of 7; OR
• By completing high school in Canada. Studies must have been in English at an approved Canadian high school (grades 9, 10, 11, 12) with at least three consecutive years of full-time academic study; OR
• By completing a recognized post-secondary degree or diploma program in Canada. The program must have involved at least two full years of full-time, consecutive academic study in English.

Test/Transcript Validity
Test/Transcript results are valid for two years from the day of testing or completion of a course. Results that expire prior to the Start Date of the program may not be accepted, but will be reviewed by the Office of the Registrar. Official results must be submitted.
Transcripts will be reviewed by the Office of the Registrar and the Health Care Aide program to determine whether the courses completed will be accepted to meet the proficiency requirement.

Pre-Practicum Requirements

• Heart and Stroke BLS
• Up-to-date Immunization Record
• N95 Mask Fit Test

You will earn and receive the following certificates:

• Columbia College/Government of Alberta Health Care Aide Certificate
• WHMIS Certificate
• Falls Prevention
• Food Safety
• Goals of Care
• Palliative Care
• Dealing with Conflict
• Medication Administration
• Professional Code of Conduct (Provided at College Convocation or upon request)