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Thompson Rivers University
Thompson Rivers University

HLTH 1153: Personal Care and Assistance

This practical course offers students the opportunity to acquire personal care and assistance skills within the parameters of the Health Care Assistant role. The course will assist the student to integrate theory from other courses and develop a theoretical understanding of care-giver skills that maintain and promote the comfort, safety and independence of individuals in community and facility contexts.

Learning outcomes

  • Describe how to perform personal care skills in an organized manner ensuring the comfort and appropriate independence of the client/resident.*
  • Apply an informed problem-solving process to the provision of care and assistance.*
  • Describe how to provide personal care and assistance within the parameters of the Health Care Assistant role.*
  • Identify how to provide care and assistance in ways that maintain safety for self and others in a variety of contexts.*

*From: BC Ministry of Advanced Education. (2015). Health Care Assistant Program: Provincial Curriculum Guide 2015, 43-44. Province of British Columbia. https://opentextbc.ca/hcasupplement/. Licensed under Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 unported license. (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/)

Course topics

  • Problem-Solving when Carrying Out Caregiving Procedures
  • Asepsis and Prevention of Infection
  • Promoting Personal Hygiene
  • Moving, Positioning, and Transferring a Client/Resident
  • Bed-Making
  • Promoting Exercise and Activity
  • Promoting Healthy Nutrition and Fluid Intake
  • Promoting Urinary and Bowel Elimination
  • Measuring Vital Signs
  • Heat and Cold Applications
  • Assisting with Oxygen Needs
  • Assisting with Medications
  • Home Management
  • Personal Assistance Guidelines

Required text and materials

Students will need to source the following on their own:

  1. Sorrentino S. A., Remmert, L., Wilk M. J., (2018) Mosby's Canadian Textbook for the Support Worker. (4th edition) Elsevier/Mosby Inc.
    Type: Textbook. ISBN: 9781771720434
  1. Sorrentino S. A., Remmert, L., Wilk M. J., (2018) Workbook to Accompany Mosby's Canadian Textbook for the Support Worker. (4th edition) Elsevier/Mosby Inc.
    Type: Workbook. ISBN: 9781771721271
  1. Mosby Inc. Clinical Skills: Skills for Nurse Assisting. (1st edition). Elsevier/Mosby Inc., 2018.
    Type: Online Access Code. ISBN: 9780323581899

Note: The above resource can be purchased directly from the publisher.

Assessments

Please be aware that should your course have a final exam, you are responsible for the fee to the online proctoring service, ProctorU, or to the in-person approved Testing Centre. Please contact exams@tru.ca with any questions about this.

Students in the Health Care Assistant Program must achieve a minimum grade of 70% on the mandatory final exam and in the course overall. Students must achieve a minimum of 70% in each required theory course and a COM (complete) for the competency based portions of laboratory and practicum courses to pass the program. Students must pass each course to continue in the program.

Students cannot re-write failed assessments and, if unsuccessful on a second attempt at any course, will be asked to withdraw from the program.

All Program courses must be completed within 3 years of initial course enrolment.

Assignment 1: Case Studies 20%
Assignment 2: Case Studies 20%
Quiz (Lesson 1 - 5) 25%
Final Examination (mandatory) (Lesson 6 - 12) 35%
Total 100%

Open Learning Faculty Member Information

An Open Learning Faculty Member is available to assist students. Students will receive the necessary contact information at the start of the course.

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