Description
This program develops the knowledge and skills you need to become a health care worker who, under the supervision of a nurse, assists hospital patients, personal care home residents, or home care clients. Health care aides help people to remain independent by assisting them with their physical, emotional, and social needs and their daily activities.
You will learn about the expectations and responsibilities of the role and the knowledge and skills required to be a health care aide. You will study related topics including interpersonal communications, growth and development, gerontological care, and home care.
You will have opportunities to gain experience in simulated laboratory settings at the College and in actual practice settings in health care agencies.
DOCUMENT SUBMISSION
Upload Through Your Future Student Account
If you do not have a Future Student Account or require assistance, please contact our Student Service Centre at 204-632-2327.
Internationally Educated Applicants - visit www.rrc.ca/credentials for credential assessment information.
However, if you apply within 6 weeks of the program start date, admission requirements are due within 5 days of applying.
Regular Admission Requirements
Mature Student Admission Requirements
If you are 19 years of age or older and have been out of high school for a minimum of one year at time of application, and you do not meet the regular admission requirements, you may apply under the Mature Student admission requirements.
Program Progression Requirements
Program progression requirements are not due within 15 days of applying and should be submitted after you start classes.
English Language Assessment | Minimum Required Levels | |||
---|---|---|---|---|
L - Listening, S - Speaking, R - Reading, W - Writing | L | S | R | W |
CAEL and CAEL Online (Canadian Academic English Language) | 60 | 50 | 60 | 60 |
Communication for Health Professions
(RRC Pathway)
Canadian Citizens: LINC programs are not available. | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 |
Communication for Internationally Educ Health Prof
(RRC Pathway)
Canadian Citizens: LINC programs are not available. | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 |
Duolingo
(Duolingo English Test)
* MINIMUM OVERAL SCORE OF 115 REQUIRED. There are no minimum required levels for L,S,R,W. Only Duolingo English Test scores that have been verified through the Duolingo English Test Portal will be accepted. | 0* | 0* | 0* | 0* |
IELTS - Academic
(International English Language Testing System)
Please Note: 3 year expiry date for Nursing Program Applicants | 6.0 | 6.0 | 6.0 | 6.0 |
PTE - Academic Online Assessment (Pearson Test of English) | 50 | 50 | 50 | 50 |
Password Skills
(An in person English Language Assessment hosted by RRC Polytech)
This in-person, computer-based test is composed of four test modules: reading, writing, listening and speaking. The test takes 3 hours and 5 minutes to complete and is conducted in two parts. The first part assesses reading, listening, and writing, and the second part assesses speaking in a separate room.
Password Skills is hosted by the RRC Polytech Testing and Assessment Centre: E440, Manitou a bi Bii Daziigae building, on the fourth floor.
If you wish to do Password Skills remotely (not in-person), Password Skills Plus can be taken online. RRC Polytech does not offer Password Skills Plus, but we do accept the results for entry into program.
| 6.0 | 6.0 | 6.0 | 6.0 |
Password Skills Plus (Password Skills Plus is an online assessment that can be taken instead of Password Skills. ) | 6.0 | 6.0 | 6.0 | 6.0 |
TOEFL-iBT
(Test of English as a Foreign Language - internet Based Test)
To meet the needs of students who are unable to take the TOEFL iBT® test at a test center due to public health concerns, ETS is temporarily offering the TOEFL iBT Special Home Edition test in selected areas. | 19 | 18 | 18 | 21 |
Health Care Aide Requisite Skills and Abilities
There are a number of fundamental skills and abilities that a student must possess in order to work as a Health Care Aide. These essential skills are required in order to be able to work competently in a variety of settings. This information can be used by prospective students in order to determine whether they are able to meet the demands of this career.
The skills follow the five domains that the College of Registered Nurses uses in describing the requisite skills and abilities of potential nursing students. They have been amended to more clearly reflect the functions of a Health Care Aide. To view the original Requisite Skills and Abilities document please go to www.crnm.mb.ca CRNM and look under Interpretive Documents.
REQUISITE SKILL AND ABILITY EXAMPLES
1. Cognitive
Ability to perform skills which demonstrate thinking capacity:
• Recall information over time
• Demonstrate basic math skills
• Utilize a systematic problem solving approach
• Identify actions to rectify the problem
• Know when to consult with other members of health care team
Example: When transferring a client from the bed to a wheelchair, is able to remember the correct steps (recalls information). If difficulties arise during this process, knows what to do and whom to call in order to keep the client safe (problem solving, actions and who to consult with).
2. Communication and Interpersonal
Ability to express and receive written, verbal, or non-verbal language and has the capacity to interact with others in a respectful and professional manner:
• Read, write, speak and understand in the language of instruction
• Give and receive information in a positive manner
• Recognize own non-verbal communication and the ability to interpret non-verbal communication in others
• Document and report relevant information in a timely manner utilizing both paper and electronic means
Example: Able to communicate and respond to information from a client (conveyed both verbally and non-verbally) and share this information (give and receive information) with other health care providers either in person or through documentation on paper or electronically where indicated.
3. Behavioural
Ability to conduct oneself in a professional manner:
• Accept uniqueness and diversity of all individuals
• Ability to perform under direction of healthcare professionals
• Conduct self in a professional manner
• Practice in a manner consistent with established patient safety policies and procedures
• Awareness of unpredictable environment
• Utilize time management skills
Example: Treats all clients in a professional manner despite differences (accepts uniqueness of all individuals). Is able to take direction from others in a courteous manner (perform under direction of healthcare providers) even when situation becomes stressful. Functions with frequent interruptions and remains calm in emergency situations.
4. Sensory
Ability to perceive with each of the following senses well enough to provide care:
• Sight
• Touch
• Hearing
• Smell
• Hand-eye coordination (manual dexterity)
Example: Can see well enough to read written information about client and the equipment at the bedside. Can feel differences in skin temperature with hand touch. Can hear clients’ voices without directly looking at them. Can hear alarms on equipment and patient call systems. Able to recognize abnormal odors. Can manage equipment (manual dexterity) used in providing care to clients (transfer devices, wheelchairs, and commodes).
5. Physical
Ability to perform each of the following skills well enough to provide safe care:
• Lift
• Carry
• Stand and maintain balance
• Perform repetitive actions
• Push and pull
• Climb
• Bend
• Reach
• Walk
• Move within small spaces
Example: Is able to reposition a client in bed or assist them when getting up. Can climb a flight of stairs unaided if working in a client’s home. Can move easily between a patient’s bed and equipment or in a small space such as a bathroom.
To be a successful health care worker, you must be a caring person who enjoys working with people of all ages. You should be flexible, and be able to think and act responsibly and with integrity.
As stated above, you will need good oral, written, and interpersonal communication skills so you can develop effective relationships with clients and co-workers. You should be able to accept constructive criticism and improve your performance based on such guidance. You must be prepared to accept a schedule that involves evening and weekend work during your clinical practice experience in the program and in the workplace after you graduate.
Note: Following graduation, employers in health care settings may request security clearance through Criminal Record checks and the Child Abuse Registry.
Location | Start Date | Apply Link |
---|---|---|
Portage La Prairie Campus | Jan 27, 2025 | Apply Now |
Location | Start Date | Apply Link |
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Notre Dame Campus | Jan 27, 2025 | Apply Now |
Location | Start Date | Apply Link |
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Selkirk | Jan 27, 2025 | Apply Now |
Location | Start Date | Apply Link |
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Winkler Campus | Feb 03, 2025 | Apply Now |
Winkler Campus | Aug 25, 2025 | Apply Now |
Students may apply for financial assistance through the Manitoba Student Aid program. For general information on applying please call 204-945-6321 or 1-800-204-1685, or visit their website at www.manitobastudentaid.ca, which also includes an online application. For detailed information, please visit one of the RRC Polytech Student Service Centres or call 204-632-2327. Applicants requiring financial assistance should complete their student loan applications well in advance of the class start date.
Gain the knowledge and skills to assist clients with daily activities. Learn more about mobility, hygiene and grooming. You must also complete the skills lab.
Continue to develop the knowledge and skills you'll need to assist clients with activities of daily living. Topics include nutrition, circulation, respiration, and elimination. You must also complete the skills lab.
Explore the concepts of the aging process. Examine the critical issues that affect aging, personal adaptation to aging, and community resources. Topics include the demography of aging, societal and personal attitudes to aging, major theories of aging, physical aging, psycho-social aging, economic, social and political factors.
Examine home care and other community agencies and the services they provide to clients in the community. Discover the differences in caring for clients in community settings, and the special skills needed by direct service workers.
Explore the concepts of a family unit and the role that each member plays. Examine the various stages of growth and development throughout the life cycle. The issue of domestic violence will also be addressed.
Identify role change and other tasks associated with the long-term care. Common health problems will be discussed. Rehabilitation and the promotion of independence are stressed. Other topics include mental health and illness, informal care giving, institutionalization and end-of-life care.
Examine the process of communication and develop interpersonal communication skills. Learn how concepts such as basic human needs, the helping relationship, mental health and stress impact interpersonal relationships. Explore theory and practice related to written communication, job search skills and the use of medical terminology.
Discuss principles of medical asepsis, infection control and the prevention of the spread of communicable diseases. Accident and fire prevention, and the role of the health care aid/health unit clerk in an emergency are stressed.
Cultivate an understanding of the Manitoba health care system. Topics include the roles of individual members of the health care team, multiculturalism, ethical and legal considerations, problem-solving and the organization of workload, and the role of the health care aide in admitting, transferring and discharging patients.
The clinical practice course is designed to provide students with the opportunity to apply, in the practice setting, the knowledge and skills learned in the theory courses. Students are eligible for clinical practice after successfully completing all theory courses. The clinical practice course is a minimum of six weeks (full-time) in length. Students will have a three-week clinical experience in both an acute and a long-term care setting. During clinical practice, students will practice directly with an experienced health care aide preceptor, under the supervision of a RRC clinical instructor. Clinical practice is arranged by Red River College. Unit assignments and individual shift schedules will be arranged according to the guidelines agreed upon by RRC and the health care facility. Please note that the clinical practice course requires a BLS for Health Care Provider certificate, proof of PHIA attendance, and RRC photo identification. Students must submit an Adult Criminal Record/Vulnerable Sector (ACRVS) check and a Provincial Child Abuse Registry (PCAR) check within six months prior to the start date of clinical.
The Nonviolent Crisis Intervention (R) Program is a safe, non-harmful behaviour management system designed to aid human service professionals in the management of disruptive and assaultive people, even during the most violent moments. It has been developed by the Crisis Prevention Institute, a training organization devoted to training staff in the safe management of potentially violent individuals.
The Health Care Aide Clinical Experience course provides you with the opportunity to apply, in the practice setting, the knowledge and skills learned in the theory courses. You are eligible for clinical practice after successfully completing all theory courses.
The clinical practice course is a minimum of six weeks (full-time) in length. You will have a three-week clinical experience in both an acute and a long-term care setting. This includes a short experience in a community (home care) setting. During clinical practice, you will practice directly with an experienced health care aide preceptor, under the supervision of a College clinical instructor.
Clinical practice is arranged by the College. Unit assignments and individual shift schedules will be arranged according to the guidelines agreed upon by RRC Polytech and the health care facility.
Note: The clinical practice course requires a BLS for Health Care Providers Certificate, proof of PHIA (Personal Health Information Act) workshop attendance, and RRC Polytech photo identification.
You must submit Adult Criminal Record/Vulnerable Sector and Provincial Child Abuse Registry check documents within six months of attending the clinical practice course.
Online learning is a critical component of course delivery in all Red River College Polytechnic programs. To ensure each student has the tools they need to achieve their academic goals, all Red River College Polytechnic students require, at minimum:
1. Off-campus access to a current computer with a webcam
2. A high speed internet connection
• Recommended minimum speed: 10 mbps for download, 3 mbps for upload
• Slower internet connection speeds may result in audio and video issues. Please keep in mind that if others in your home are using the same internet connection at the same time as you are, you may also experience audio and video issues.
• Please refer to https://www.rrc.ca/future-students/computer-requirements/ for further information on Computer Requirements for Students.
Please note that any anticipated costs are not included in Books and Supplies estimates.
As a graduate of this program, under the supervision of a nurse, will show evidence of a beginning ability to:
For more information contact:
Alison Fyfe- Carlson RN BN MA-Ed
Chair, Nursing Affiliated Programs & International Partnerships and Interprofessional Education School of Health Sciences and Community Services
C620- 2055 Notre Dame Ave
204-632-2929
afyfecarlson@rrc.ca
Health Care Aide Program Options
Full-time day program
For more information, contact:
Student Service Centres
204-632-2327
Part-time program - School of Continuing and Distance Education (C+DE)
For more information, contact:
School of Continuing Education
204-694-1789
Regional campuses
For more information, contact the regional campuses directly:
Interlake and Peguis – Fisher River Campus 204-785-5328
Portage la Prairie Campus 204-856-1914
Steinbach Campus 204-320-2500
Winkler Campus 204-325-9672
Note: The theory and clinical practice requirements are the same regardless of where the program is delivered.
You must successfully complete all theory and practice components of the program. From the time of your initial registration, you must take no longer than 3 years to complete the program.
You must obtain a minimum grade of 70% (P) in each course to be successful in this program.
Students who are aware of the fact that they require learning support or assistance for physical or learning disabilities must make an appointment with Counselling and Accessibility Services(CAS) (D101) in advance of beginning the health care aide program. If a student is not sure whether they qualify for these services but think this may be a possibility, it is recommended that the student consult with the Counselling and Accessibility Services office so they can assess the situation and help the student make the decision. Ideally this would take place in May if a September admission is anticipated or November if a February start date is anticipated. This is important as the disability must be documented and the student must be assigned a counsellor from this office. Following this step, those students registered in the Health Care Aide day program at Notre Dame Campus, may then be referred to the Coordinator of Accommodation for Nursing and the Accommodation team, to explore what modifications are reasonable, given the demands of a health care aide and develop a plan. The accommodation required by the student must be reasonable and not cause undue hardship. Furthermore, clinical accommodations must be agreeable to the clinical placement sites. For further information about RRC Polytech’s accommodation process, see the Handbook for Students with Disabilities at: /Catalogue/files/file/disabilities/handbook.pdf
When you receive your certificate you will be invited to participate in one of the College's semi-annual Convocation ceremonies.
Graduates of the Health Care Aide program will be eligible for employment in a variety of settings, including: