Health Care Assistants (also known as Certified Nursing Assistants) are often seen as the backbone of the healthcare system. They provide bedside nursing and support Registered Nurses in the care of patients in hospitals and the elderly in Residential Care Homes.
Providing direct patient care means that Health Care Assistants need good communication skills to be able to assist in the day-to-day management of patients and residents.
HCAs communicate with other colleagues too during handovers and team meetings and need to be able to keep RNs informed of changes in patient condition.
English for Medical Purposes: Health Care Assistants covers the language needed to successfully manage the aspects of patient care most commonly encountered by HCAs. It also presents ward management topics such as patient confidentiality, consent and dignity and privacy.