70-Health care assistants

Job Title: 

Health care assistants

Job Description: 

Involves direct working relationships with patients and participation as a member of the treatment or nursing care team in direct service to patients to provide assistance, support and care to patients in a variety of health, welfare and community settings.

Summary: 

Health care assistants provide direct personal care and assistance with activities of daily living to patients and residents in a variety of health care environments such as hospitals, clinics, and residential nursing care facilities. They generally work in implementation of established care plans and practices, and under the direct supervision of medical, nursing or other health professionals or associate professionals.

Tasks: 

Job activities and tasks include:

  • providing care, support and treatment to patients and residents of medical, rehabilitative and residential care facilities as per treatment plans established by medical, nursing and other health professionals
  • assisting patients with personal and therapeutic care needs such as personal hygiene, feeding, dressing, physical mobility and exercise, communication, taking oral medications and changing dressings
  • positioning, lifting and turning patients and transporting them in wheelchairs or on movable beds
  • maintaining patients? environmental hygiene standards, such as cleaning patient rooms and changing bed-linen
  • providing massage and other non-pharmacological pain relief measures, such as during pregnancy and labour observing patients? condition, responses and behaviour and reporting changes to a health professional
  • may also include: assisting doctors and nurses in the care and treatment of the ill receiving medical, surgical, psychiatric, or outpatient treatment; (ii) assisting surgeons or nurses in operating rooms by performing ?scrub? technician duties; (iii) assisting obstetricians or nurses in delivery rooms by observing the patient in labour and assisting with delivery by washing and charting the newborn; (iv) assisting in premature andregular nurseries by observing infants and caring for them; and (vi) assist doctors and nurses in ambulatory care units by setting up examination rooms
Knowledge: 

Knowledge of laws of the UAE and specific Emirates related to health services and more general subjects including cultural systems

  • Knowledge of simple, routine tasks which require little or no previous training
  • Knowledge of a variety of common procedures that typically requires some previous training or experience
  • Knowledge of standardized patient care and skill sufficient to perform procedures such as catherizing, irrigating, and suctioning patients; and other supporting procedures such as patient charting and patient/family teaching; to conduct procedures such as reality orientation, one-to-one therapy, small group therapy and large group therapy accompanied by supporting procedures such as patient charting and patient/family teaching
  • Knowledge of equipment terminology (rotating frames, cardiac monitors, respiratory therapy machines, etc.); drug terminology (names from the drug formulary); and supply terminology (bandages, solutions, sterile trays, etc.) and skill sufficient to identify and use equipment, drugs and supplies properly and to communicate proper use with nurses, medical staff and family members
  • Knowledge of surgical equipment, instruments and supplies setup and patient positioning and draping techniques and skill sufficient to prepare the operating room for surgery ranging from hernia to extensive genitourinary surgery and sufficient knowledge of surgical procedures and terminology and manual dexterity to pass instruments to the surgeon
  • Knowledge of and skill sufficient in surgical procedures and terminology and manual dexterity to pass instruments to the surgeon
  • Understanding of diseases and illnesses (such as diabetes) and skill sufficient to teach patients (diabetic self-care) and to impress upon patients and family members the necessity to continue the procedures as proper health care
  • Knowledge of the standard medical terminology for the human body, physical and emotional reactions, nursing care, and contraindications to medications and skill sufficient to provide and gather information in patient care/family conferences with nurses, doctors, patients and family members
  • Using of proprietary and general health software applications and management information systems
  • Actively looking for ways to help people
  • Monitoring/Assessing performance of oneself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action
  • Flexibility to work effectively in a variety of situations and adapt to new ways of doing things
  • Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one
  • Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience including understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents
  • Information Communications Technology - Knowledge and use of relevant industry sector IT applications and programs
  • Time Management - Managing one?s own time and the time of others
  • Team work or individual - job may require him/her to work alone or in conjunction with other support or related personnel
    • Work Context: 

    Often undertake shift work in hospitals, clinics, rest homes, hospices and nursing homes. May be required to lift and move patients, or do household work. That may need to be on their feet for most of the day in attending to patients. As well, they may also be exposed to infectious diseases and come in contact with body fluids. The may be required to travel locally to patients? homes, and may sometimes be required to stay overnight to provide patient care at their home.

    Education: 

    Secondary School Certificate or Diploma/Associate degree in health care support, nursing assistant or related field, higher qualification or equivalent.!!

    Required Work Experience: 

    3 years and above

    Probable Employers: 

    SEHA, Al Mafraq Hospital, Cornish Hospital, Dubai Hospital (Dubai Government DOHMS), Rashid Hospital (Dubai Government DOHMS), Al Baraha Hospital (Ministry of Health), Al Amal Hospital (Ministry of Health), Ruwais Hospital (Ruwais - (Private)), Al Ain Hospital, Mubadala Health Care

    Occupational Size: 
    More than 5,000 and less than 30,000
    Expected Earnings: 

    Above the industry average

    Projected Growth: 
    Very good
    Alternate Titles: 

    Examples of job titles:
    Birth assistant (clinic or hospital) - Nursing aide (clinic or hospital) - Patient care assistant - Psychiatric aid
    Examples of some related occupations:
    Nurse (professional) - Nurse (associate professional) - Ambulance worker - Nursing aide (home)

    UAE Industry Groups: 
    Community, health and social services
    International Careers(ISCO): 
    Similar O*NET Careers (USA) : 
    Source Of Info: 
    Occupations and Careers Handbook for UAE Nationals(Copyright NQA ). Referenced from New York University, Abu Dhabhi