A few months back, at the general practice where I work, a health care assistant (HCA) approached me to say she’d noticed that one of her patients, who was in for a routine check, was unwell. They were unable to carry out a task they’d normally be able to do.
By immediately escalating her concern the HCA ensured the patient could be treated straight away. This quick thinking and fast action makes a difference to peoples’ lives. That’s what HCAs do where I work. They take a holistic approach and continually look beyond what the patient is in for. They see the person beyond the condition.
So many people still don’t understand what a health care assistant does. They think HCAs are just there as general assistants. In reality, the HCAs I work with run their own clinics, with the clinical oversight of the registered nurse, who delegates work to them.
I couldn’t function in my role without their support. They’re vital in primary care and often expand their knowledge in this working environment. In diabetic clinics, for instance, they take bloods, do blood pressures, height and weight checks. Behind the scenes they restock rooms and order vital equipment that we use in the practice.
So many people still don’t understand what a health care assistant does
Yes, there are challenges for all of us and there never seems to be enough time. But we all work as a team and build relationships with patients who then feel confident that we understand what they’re going through, which makes them feel at ease and more likely to be open with us. We have rewarding roles and the whole team can rightly feel we can make a difference.
I’m getting behind this year’s Nursing Support Workers’ Day and will be ordering materials from the RCN and posting a video on Twitter about my amazing colleagues. It's hard for me to pinpoint one area of excellence when talking about the HCAs I work with because they’re amazing at everything.
We all need to show our support and appreciation of them and their work so we can ensure that they are also recognised for the vital contributions they make.
