Healtcare Assistant - Excel Healthcare

Are you thinking about becoming a Healthcare Assistant in Ireland? Here’s more information on how.

As a Healthcare Assistant, your role is to provide support to patients and assist them in personal care. Healthcare Assistants can work in various different healthcare settings including patients’ homes, hospices, nursing homes, day services and hospitals.

Roles and responsibilities of a healthcare assistant include:

Assisting patients with personal care such as bathing, clothing and feeding.
Supporting with personal hygiene and toileting
Prompting patients to take medication
Assisting nurses and supporting other healthcare workers
Monitoring and supporting patients
Maintaining a safe environment
Protecting the dignity of the patients

You must have specific qualifications to work as a Healthcare Assistant in Ireland, which includes a QQI Level 5 in Healthcare or Pre-Nursing (or equivalent if obtained outside Ireland).

Alternatively, if you’re a student nurse studying a level 8 you can work as a Healthcare Assistant (HCA) after your first year of studies along with other modules obtained, including Infection Prevention and Control, Safeguarding of Vulnerable Adults and Patient Manual Handling.

Healthcare Assistants are crucial to the Irish Healthcare system, and there are also many opportunities for career growth. At Excel Healthcare, we provide a list of training courses, including online and classroom training for healthcare professionals.

Excel are always looking for more qualified Healthcare Assistants to join our Healthcare team, please don’t hesitate to reach out for a confidential chat and more information on our agency and what it can offer you. There are always job opportunities available at Excel Healthcare.

You can check out all of our live HCA roles here.

In Ireland, hospitals are always in need of the services that reliable Healthcare Assistants provide. If you feel that you’re a caring person or if you’ve ever wondered what it would be like to work as a Healthcare Assistant or a carer, then keep reading to see what’s involved.

Being a Healthcare Assistant gives individuals the opportunity to work in the Healthcare System without needing a full nursing degree. You’re also able to train and begin work as a Healthcare Assistant within a few short months and it is even possible to get your qualifications online!

There are many types of environments that you can choose to work in such as Hospitals, Nursing Homes, or Home Care and there is also the option to work as an Agency Healthcare Assistant if you’re seeking flexible hours. Joining the Excel Healthcare team gives you the opportunity to work in some of Ireland’s most prestigious healthcare facilities while giving you the freedom over your own working hours, and if agency work is what you’re after, then we would love to have a private and confidential chat with you. Either way, whether you’re interested in a permanent or flexible role, we’ll be able to give you guidance to help you along the way.

How to become a Healthcare Assistant:

You’ll need to acquire the following Qualification to become a Healthcare Assistant:

QQI Level 5 in Healthcare or have the equivalent qualification such as nursing studies or if you are a nurse outside of Ireland you may be exempt from this.

This qualification can take up to 1 year to complete, however, if you have finished at least 2 modules (Care Skills & Care of the Elderly) you may be able to start work depending on the role.

You will also need the following certificates:

Safeguarding of Vulnerable Adults
Infection Control
Patient Manual Handling

In some roles, you may be required to have other certificates, but these are the most essential ones to obtain. Excel Healthcare also provides a range of training services through our sister company ‘Future Proof Training’. You can book these courses online or in person through our Future Proof website by clicking here.

After you have the above-mentioned qualifications and certifications, it is relatively easy to get work as an agency healthcare assistant to build your experience. You also have the option to work throughout your studies and gain experience in various environments. It’s entirely up to you.

At Excel Healthcare, we have a number of roles available across Ireland and Northern Ireland.

Category: Healtcare Assistant

What is a Healthcare Assistant?

Working as a Healthcare Assistant in Ireland