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A patient care assistant will work with other healthcare staff to ensure that the hospital, clinic or another facility in which they work provides the best level of care to its patients possible. The job can vary from one place to another, but there are some universal tasks that all patient care assistants carry out every day, and this guide covers them all in detail. Patient care assistants are also known as healthcare support workers and their duties include everything from maintaining cleanliness in areas such as washrooms and dining rooms to helping the physicians with various tests and treatments.
What do PAs do?
Becoming a Registered Nurse (RN)
Becoming a registered nurse requires advanced education and an application to your province’s college of nurses. Once approved, you can apply for entry-level positions as a licensed practical nurse (LPN) or a registered nurse (RN). To advance your career, consider enrolling in an RN-to-BSN program so that you can transition into supervisory roles and/or patient care management later on down the road.
The National Commission on Certification of Physician Assistants (NCCPA) exam
Salary Range
$14 – $20 hourly for entry-level workers; $22-$32 for experienced workers; $26-$38 for executive level staff.
Benefits vary by employer and location, but you can generally expect health insurance and retirement funds matching your contributions up to a certain limit. You’ll also likely have sick days, paid vacation time and education assistance for career advancement on top of your base salary. Some employers offer profit sharing plans or bonuses based on performance targets such as cost savings or patient satisfaction scores. As a health care provider, you’ll have excellent job security too; physicians and dentists generally need extra help because they’re often not physically able to get all their work done without an assistant’s assistance.
Education and Training Requirements
In order to graduate from high school
Training in a B.C.L.S. program
In order to complete a Health Care Aide/PSW Program at the certificate level, a student will need…
- 6 months of direct patient care experience in the past six months
- The capacity to speak, read, write, and understand the English language
- Prominently demonstrated personal independence, a positive outlook, and a willingness to be an effective member of a team.
- Necessary to have the ability to promote good organizational performance and an easy patient care process.
- The capacity to remain consistently productive and efficient.
- Potential to act courteously when carrying out responsibilities
- You need to be able to perform your duties in a professional and courteous manner and to produce high-quality work, on time, as defined by UHN standards.
- Display an independent and judgemental mindset that demonstrates a high level of capability to do multiple tasks at once.
- Follow UHN privacy policy and be compliant with our confidentiality requirements.
- This person exhibits strong skills in organizational, interpersonal, and communication matters.
- Complies with policies at UHN and the department.
- Humble, appreciative of different points of view, and eager to accommodate
- Ability to meet the physical demands of the job including standing, bending, lifting, pulling, pushing, and walking without any discomfort on a continual basis; shifting patients with guidance; ability to stand for a lengthy amount of time; enough strength to lift in excess of 40 kg.
One might have to work different parts of the hospital, work rotating shifts, and perform emergency services.
You’re not allowed to be a police officer in Ontario unless you get vaccinated (COVID-19 and others), unless you have a waiver due to a medical disability or disability accommodation under the Ontario Human Rights Code.
Where to Find a Job as a PA
Health care assistants, also known as PAs, enjoy some of the most competitive wages in Canada. The average PA salary is around $34,000 per year, but that number can climb even higher if you’re willing to relocate to one of a few major cities across Ontario and Alberta. In Ontario alone, there are several hundred PA job openings every month; one of which may be yours!
Here are some of your best bets for securing a job as a PA: Calgary Alberta, Edmonton Alberta, Victoria British Columbia, Quebec City Quebec, Moncton New Brunswick, and St. John’s Newfoundland.
