Healthcare assistant is a promising career in London and around the UK with the increasing number of patients and healthcare settings in this age. There is no chance that this sector will get outdated and HCA jobs UK will be unavailable. So, considering all these factors, if you wish to be a healthcare assistant in London, but are confused about the path through which you shall walk, worry no more as we are here with the blog ‘Navigating the Path to Becoming a Healthcare Assistant in London’ to help you.
A healthcare assistant, often referred to as a nursing assistant or a care assistant, is a very important component of the healthcare team. Their major responsibility is to assist doctors, nurses, and other individuals in the delivery of medical services to clients. They practice in different healthcare facilities like hospitals, nursing homes, clinics, and sometimes within the patient’s home.
These healthcare assistants also have the responsibility of overseeing the health of patients admitted to the facility. This can include checking some aspects like blood pressure, temperature, and pulse. For instance, in a hospital, a healthcare assistant could be assigned to check a patient’s temperature, pulse, and blood pressure every few hours and then report any changes that occur to the nurse on shift. This information is very helpful so that the medical team can make the right decisions regarding the patient.
Besides meeting the physical needs of the patients, healthcare assistants comfort them emotionally. This means that patients especially the elderly or those who are in their terminal stages require someone to talk to. A healthcare assistant may sit and talk to a patient, listen to their opinions, and even talk to them in a friendly manner. This kind of support can go a long way to improve the health of a patient and aid their healing process.
Are you looking at how to get health assistant jobs in UK? Well, we have got you what you have been searching for.
Understand the Role
Let’s begin with an understanding of what a healthcare assistant does. HCAs assist the nurses, doctors, and other caregivers in the delivery of care to the patient. Some of the tasks that they perform include; feeding, washing, dressing, and supervising the patients’ health status and emotional welfare.
Example: An HCA working in a hospital can assist a mobility-restricted patient to put on clothes in the morning and ensure that the patient is not uncomfortable. Some of them may also help to check the patient’s temperature and communicate any changes to the nurse in charge.
Make Sure You are Fluent in English
English fluency is preferred; no prior experience or formal qualifications are necessary. To succeed, it is advisable to write English proficiency tests such as IELTS. Moreover, knowledge in communication and math as well as basic knowledge in science are helpful in comprehending and performing.
Example: Writing and speaking in English is crucial when teaching a patient how to swallow medicine properly or when passing relevant information to another team member.
Develop Relevant Skills
Emphasize the so-called soft skills that include interpersonal communication, emotional intelligence, interpersonal patience, and teamwork. These are fundamental for ensuring that quality health care is delivered and collaboration with other health care practitioners is achieved.
Example: Anxiety with regard to a particular surgery requires empathy when comforting a patient. When tending to the needs of an elderly patient, one has to understand that such a patient will require more time to complete the basic tasks.
Research Job Opportunities
Search for available healthcare assistant jobs in different areas including hospitals, nursing facilities, clinics, and home healthcare organizations. You can start searching on job boards, hospital websites, and local classifieds.
Example: Recruitment portals and agencies of HCA healthcare jobs London such as Xpress Health, NHS Jobs, Indeed, and LinkedIn present several HCA opportunities in London. Employment opportunities such as HCAs are always advertised in hospitals like the Guy’s and St Thomas’ or even the Royal London Hospital.
Apply for Jobs
For this step, you need to include information about your education, your experience if any, and last but not least the soft skills which would make you suitable for the job in your resume. Here is the list of do’s and don’ts rather than the usual, regularly heard ones that you should follow while writing a cover letter explaining your interest in healthcare and your willingness to learn on the job.
Do not forget about volunteering: for instance, volunteering at a local care home.
As for soft skills, you must note that they have empathy and that you are good at communicating.
When writing your cover letter, make sure to show your sincere willingness to assist people as well as your wish to learn within the job.
Prepare for Interviews
When going through the interview process, make sure that you demonstrate the qualities of someone who is willing to go out of their way to help people, someone who can learn fast, and someone who is willing to offer care to those in need. Just be prepared to talk about it if you have volunteered or been a caregiver in any way.
Bonus: Make sure to write real-life examples to questions such as ‘Can you give an instance when you assisted someone in need?’ or ‘How do you deal with stressful situations?’ Explain you are a patient person who understands other people’s situations.
On-the-Job Training
When hired, then you will be trained while at the workplace. This will cover:
Basic Medical Procedures: Learning essential nursing skills such as how to measure vital signs, moving the patient around, or performing some other related work.
Patient Care: It is crucial to know how to assist a patient with personal care including; bathing, feeding, and other basic needs.
Health and Safety: Reading about infection control measures, emergencies in the clinical and educational setting, and chart documentation.
Example: Some of the things that you may learn during training include learning how to transfer a patient from the bed to a chair and vice versa, how to measure and record blood pressure, and the right observation of hygiene measures needed to prevent the development of diseases.
Stay Updated
Health care and the medical profession are always dynamic. Adopt the latest practices, technologies, and legal requirements through professionally relevant educational pursuits and training.
Example: Medical journals, attending workshops, or online courses: choosing one or several ways to improve your skills and knowledge. This will assist you in giving the best care to your patients as you will be providing quality work.
