Posts Tagged ‘Health’

Understanding the Importance of Australian Certified Health Services Assistance Courses

March 5th, 2021

A career in the health sector in Australia is regarded as rewarding, stable and interesting, with each week being completely different from the last- there will be a different set of patients, health professionals, client profiles and patient care requirements. If this is a profession you may be interested in, then you could start your career in the healthcare industry with entry-level work as a Health Services assistant.

You can develop a wonderful career caring for patients in hospitals as an assistant to professional health staff. You will train to work directly with patients under supervision. There are many varied duties that may be expected of you in this role.

As a Nursing Assistant you will need to provide assistance to clients according to their care plan- but only under the supervision of a qualified health professional. You can learn how to perform patient observations and how to work effectively with culturally diverse clients as well as co-workers. You will need to learn the rudiments of medical terminology. Besides this, you will also have to undertake a range of routine tasks and gain knowledge of transporting patients, preparing and maintaining beds, following basic food safety practice and infection control.

Your role, in short, will be to provide support to care providers, ensuring the health service functions effectively. You do not need to provide direct care support to patients. You can undergo the necessary training through the Certificate III in Health Services Assistance HLT32512 – this is a nationally recognised qualification and could enable you to find entry-level work as an Assistant in Nursing or Nursing Support Worker. Having completed this course, you could work with competence in aged care facilities, hospitals, clinics, private medical practices and home and community care services.

In such facilities, some of the areas where you could work are administration support, food service, maintenance, stores assistant or orderly, or on a pathway towards nursing assistant, operating theatre technician, patient support assistant and ward support. The Certificate III course content covers electives in specialised work functions such as operating theatre support or nursing work in acute care. You will also gain a broad range of skills necessary for working in remote or regional areas.

Common occupational titles may include Wards-person, Orderly, Patient Services Assistant (PSA) and Health Support Worker. You may also undertake additional tasks that may include cleaning, portering, waste handling and serving clients/patients with meals.

Potential career outcomes, once you have gained the required skills and competencies, may include work as an Assistant in Nursing, Nursing Support Worker, or Nursing assistant. If working in the theatre fascinates you, then you may opt to be a Theatre Support Worker or Operating Theatre Technician. Others can choose to work on the wards as Wards assistants or ward support workers. Patient service or Patient care are other services that you may try out as well.

Graduates of the Certificate III in Health Services Assistance are enabled to become competent members of teams within a hospital environment. You will be equipped with the skills and knowledge to support professionals such as doctors and nurses in ensuring health services function effectively when delivering care to patients and clients. Health Services Assistance in Australia i