Home Support/Resident Care Attendant
The Home Support/Resident Care Attendant (HS/RCA) program is designed to provide
students with opportunities to develop the knowledge, skills, and values
necessary to function as frontline care providers in long-term care facilities
or home-care settings. Graduates are prepared to provide care to older adults
experiencing diverse, often complex, but relatively stable, health and illness
needs. Upon completion of the program, graduates are qualified to work in any
level of institutionalized or home-care service, including adult daycare,
assisted living, intermediate care, extended care, and home support.
The program is based on a
provincial curriculum and includes classroom and laboratory instruction as well
as practicum experience in a variety of settings. This is a full-time program
with daily attendance expected. A certificate is awarded upon successful
completion of the program.
Entrance requirements
1. Successful completion of one of the following:
• B.C. secondary school graduation.
Official Grade 12 transcript required.
• Grade 11 with English 11
(regular, not modified). Official transcript required.
• College and Career Preparation
(Advanced Level certificate)
• General Education Development (GED)
certificate
• Composition Placement Test
(minimum score 48)
Note: ESL (English as a Second Language) applicants will be assessed on
an individual basis by the ESL department.
2. Current Red Cross Standard certificate or St. John’s Standard Enhanced
First Aid certificate.
3. Submission of a signed medical certificate indicating physical fitness
and emotional stability. (Form will be provided at interview.)
4. Completion of an immunization program including negative TB test or
chest X-ray is required before entry to the program. (Forms will be provided at
interview.) Hepatitis B immunization will be required after entry to the
program.
5. Satisfactory interview with a program faculty member who may accept or
defer acceptance based on:
a) Knowledge of and motivation
toward a career as a home support/resident care attendant
b) Financial preparation
c) Communication skills
6. Health-care experience. Your health-care experience must consist of:
• Experience as an employee working
in a care setting with elderly clients with a satisfactory reference; or
• 30 hours of volunteer experience
with residents in a long-term care setting with a satisfactory reference.
(Applicants may use the reference form attached to the back of the HS/RCA
program application form.)
7. Satisfactory written work or personal reference.
8. Successfully passing a security clearance check. (A criminal record
check form will be provided at the interview.)
9. A valid driver’s licence and reliable transportation to all practica
sites.
How to apply
1. You may apply to the program prior to the completion of all entrance
requirements. The following documents, however, must be submitted to the
Admissions and Records office, along with the application fee, in order to
process your application:
• UCFV application form
• Home Support/Resident Care
Attendant program application form
• Proof of academic prerequisites
(transcript required)*
The UCFV and HS/RCA application forms are available from any UCFV Admissions and
Records office or Student Services.
* Note: If you are currently enrolled in Grade 12, a letter is required from
your school counsellor stating that you are making satisfactory progress towards
meeting the educational requirements for Grade 12 graduation.
Once all these documents have been received by the Admissions and Records office
an application date will be recorded, and your application will be forwarded to
the Home Support/Resident Care Attendant program.
2. Submit all remaining documents to the Health Sciences Centre,
Chilliwack campus. Applicants will be considered for the program based on:
• Complete applicant status
• Date of application
Documents required in order to achieve “complete applicant status” for Home
Support/Resident Care Attendant applicants include:
• UCFV application form
• Home Support/Resident Care
Attendant program application form
• Proof of academic prerequisite
(transcript required)
• Satisfactory employment or
volunteer reference working with residents in a long-term care setting (minimum
30 hours)
• Current Red Cross Standard
certificate or St. John’s Standard Enhanced first aid certificate
• Work or personal reference.
3. Once “complete applicant status” has been obtained, applicants will be
notified of and expected to attend a program orientation. Failure to attend the
orientation may delay entry to the program.
4. At the program orientation, applicants will be given a date and time
for their interview with program faculty. At the interview, applicants will be
given specific immunization, medical, and criminal record check forms and a due
date on which the forms must be completed and returned.
5. Applicants will be given written notification as to whether or not
they have been accepted once the completed immunization, security clearance, and
medical forms have been received and reviewed by program faculty.
6. Upon acceptance into the program, applicants will be provided with
registration information by the Admissions and Records office. A deposit is
required by a specified date in order to reserve a seat in the program. This
deposit is applied to the tuition fees and is not refundable. Applicants who do
not register for the program and pay the deposit, forfeit their seat to the next
person on the program waiting list and must reapply to the program.
Dates and locations
This is a 24-week program; June 14, 2004 to November 26, 2004 and November 22,
2004 to May 20, 2005. Classes are located at the Health Sciences Centre,
Chilliwack campus. Approximately one-half of the program takes place in a
variety of facilities throughout the Fraser Valley.
Fees and additional costs
Fees stated are in effect for 2004/05 and are subject to change for 2005/06.
The tuition fees for the program are approximately $2,402. Books, supplies, and
field trips will cost about $200. Uniform(s) and white duty shoes will cost
approximately $200. The cost of travelling to and from practicum locations is
the responsibility of the student. See the
Fees and Other Costs
section for more information.
Program outline
Course | Title | Credits |
HSRC 150 | Health and Healing: Concepts for Practice | 2 |
HSRC 155 | Work Role: Introduction to Home Support/Resident Care Attendant Practice | 2 |
HSRC 160 | Personal Care Skills in Home Support/Resident Care | 4 |
HSRC 165A | Extended Care Practicum | 6 |
HSRC 165B | Intermediate Care Practicum | 3 |
HSRC 165C | Home Support Practicum | 2 |
HSRC 170 | Human Relations: Interpersonal Communications | 2 |
HSRC 175 | Healing: Special Needs in Home Support/Resident Care | 2 |
HSRC 180 | Health: Lifestyle and Choices | 1 |
Total | 24 |
Faculty
Wanda Gordon, Director, Health Sciences, RN, BSN, MA (UBC)
Sandi McGladdery, Coordinator, RN, BSN (UBC), Dip. Gero.
Janet Bergen, RN, BT, MA (TWU)
Cecilia Grant, RN, BN (Calgary)
Phyllis Randle, RN, BSN (UCFV)
Katie Wickers, BSc (Rehab)
Support staff
Janice Corbeil, Program Assistant
Sherry Neetz, Department Assistant
Christine Sawatzky, Department Assistant
Advisory committee
Cheryl Adamson, Menno Hospital
Kathy Chace, We Care Home Health Services
Hayley Rees-Howlett, Pleasant View Home Care Society
Debbie Davidson, The Waverly of Chilliwack
Shelina Deacon, alumni representative
Brenda Gillette, Chilliwack Society for Community Living
Mike Krabbendam, McIntosh Lodge
Jennifer Ladesma, Tabor Home
Ann Marie Leyen, Glenwood
ECU, MSA Hospital, TBA
Denise Moore (Chairperson), FVHR, Home Support Service
Cindy Schultz, Valley Haven Guest Home
Diane Field, Fraser Hope Lodge
Elaine Price, Eden Intermediate Care Home
Shelagh Walker, ECU, Chilliwack General Hospital
Hilde Wiebe, Menno Home
Gwyn Williams, Maplewood House
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