College program recognized by provincial health worker registry

For students like Stephanie Shuttleworth, Okanagan College's health-care assistant program now offers even more valuable training.

Earlier this year, the program received a full fiveyear recognition status from the BC Care Aide & Community Health Worker Registry (CACHWR), the provincial body that oversees registration of healthcare assistants in B.C.

For Shuttleworth, who graduates early next year, walking across the stage will mean the chance to finally step into a career in health care she has dreamed about for years.

The recognition from CACHWR, gives graduates a competitive edge, says Angela Godler, chairwoman of the HCA program at the college.

“The registry itself is fairly new and this is the first time they have conducted a full examination of our program,” said Godler.

“We are very proud, although not entirely surprised, to receive the highest level of accreditation, given our close adherence to provincially-approved curriculum, our experienced instructors and our close consultation with industry. We are constantly speaking with local employers to stay attuned to their needs, and to trends in the field.”

And with an aging population and many current HCAs approaching retirement, it is a field in need of replenishment. The B.C. Skill for Jobs Blueprint, released in 2014, listed health-care assistants as one of the top priority health professions in need of new workers over the next decade.

“When choosing a program, it is very important to complete a recognized HCA program so that you can be registered to work as an HCA in B.C.,” said Godler.

“This accreditation will make the registration process smooth for our graduates, so they can start working as soon as possible — great news for them given the demand for HCAs right now.”

The HCA program at Okanagan College is 25 weeks in length and includes a combination of theory classes and an eight-week clinical practicum, covering areas of complex care, home support/assisted living and dementia care, and acute care.

The program seems to be working. According to recent B.C. Student Outcomes data, 92 per cent of graduates reported the program was very useful in getting a job, while 97 per cent were in the labour force making an average hourly wage of $19.

Last year, one of the college’s HCA graduates was honoured for a project that saw her delivering art and music therapy to residents in complex care situations. Penticton’s Catherine Links was awarded the inaugural W. Brett Wilson Prize, a scholarship launched in Wilson’s name for Okanagan College students after the philanthropist gave a talk at the college’s Kelowna campus in January 2015.

More information about the HCA program at Okanagan College is available at okanagan.bc.ca/hca.