Healthcare Assistant Jobs | Your World Healthcare

Currently there are 38 live role(s). View jobs

Healthcare assistants, also known as HCAs, work alongside other healthcare professionals, typically nurses, to assist them with any additional duties where they need a helping hand. Despite working with nurses most of the time, HCAs can also support doctors, midwives and a broad spectrum of other healthcare professionals. Their constant communication requirements make them perfect for putting patients at ease before a procedure, operation, test or consultation. 

Healthcare assistant roles can be taken on as either full-time or locum and in a variety of settings. HCA jobs vary from place to place, but in a standard hospital setting the responsibilities a healthcare assistant might carry out include:

• Serving meals to patients and helping them eat if needed

• Bathing/washing and dressing patients

• Aiding with going to the toilet

• Bed dressing

• Keeping patients mobile

• Communicating with patients and keeping them comfortable

• Taking vital information from patients including temperature, weight and pulse

Working as a healthcare assistant in a GP surgery may require:

• Taking health checks

• Processing lab samples

• Taking blood samples

• Sterilising equipment

• Restocking consultation rooms

• Promoting health

• Putting patients at ease by communicating with them

What qualifications are needed?

Unlike with many other professions in the medical world, HCA positions do not require a relevant undergraduate or postgraduate degree. Most employers expect candidates to have a good grasp of maths and English (or native tongue) spoken and written skills. To work as a healthcare assistant in Ireland, candidates must be studying towards a nursing career or have an appropriate FETAC level 5 or QQI qualification.

To be employed as a HCA, it is preferable for candidates to have some experience within the industry prior to employment. Voluntary work or apprenticeships can be taken on to build up a CV before applying for healthcare assistant jobs.

What is expected of HCAs?

Healthcare assistants may not need as many qualifications as doctors and nurses, but they do need specific skills that set them apart for the role. As they spend a lot of time communicating with patients and are often the first person a patient will encounter before consultations or tests, HCAs must be extremely friendly and kind, with a caring nature and willing to come into close contact with patients, even if that means performing duties for their personal care (toilet breaks, washing, feeding etc.). Healthcare assistants must be excellent team players but also be able to organise their own workload, communicate efficiently and observe patients.

HCA roles with Your World

Our office in Dublin has a team of recruitment gurus who are dedicated to supplying hard-working, passionate healthcare assistants to locum and permanent jobs throughout Ireland. As the preferred supplier for a large catalogue of clients around the country, Your World give you exclusive access to the best jobs, working flexibly around your lifestyle and career goals.

For more information on our healthcare assistant positions, contact us today or scroll down to view our current vacancies:

---

View More »