1. Atlantic Region ‘Snapshot’
Coming of Age: Educating Canada’s Unregulated Health Care Workers
ACCC Conference
February 12, 2004

2. Atlantic Region Nova Scotia Community College
New Brunswick Community College
Holland College, Prince Edward Island
College of the North Atlantic

3. Diverse Nomenclature: Province and Title
Nova Scotia
Personal Care Worker; Home Support Worker; Home Health Aide; Continuing Care Assistant
New Brunswick
Care giver; Geriatric Aide; Personal Care Worker; Resident Attendant; Orderly; Sitter
Newfoundland
Home Support Worker
Prince Edward Island
Resident Care Worker, Home Support Worker

4. Profile PROVINCE TITLE PROGRAM LENGTH (HRS) Theory and Practicum
ADMISSION
DELIVERY NS
Continuing Care Assistant
908
Gr. 12 or equivalent
F/T; P/T; Distance; Cust. NB
Special Home Care Worker;
Home Support Worker;
Health Care Aide
405
375
675
Gr. 10
F/T; P/T;
Distance
F/T; P/T; Distance NF
Home Support Worker
420
Gr. 12
F/T
PEI
Resident Care Worker
877

5. Profile NS ● NB NF PEI n/a Provincial Curriculum Standardization PLAR
Cert from recognized College required NS ● NB NF
PEI
n/a NS
● (not limited to College) NB no NF
PEI ●

6. Common Courses included in all four provinces…
Professional Role/Ethics
Communications/Human Relations
Personal Care/Care Techniques
Health Issues
First Aid
CPR

7. Additional courses offered in three of four provinces…
Nutrition
Body Mechanics and Safety
NVCI
WHMIS
OH & S
Health/Wellness/Psychosocial Approaches
Home Management

8. Additional courses offered in two of four provinces…
Palliative Care
Community Awareness
Anatomy and Physiology
Alzheimer Disease
Computer Literacy

9. Additional courses offered in one of four provinces…
Mental health
Aging
Family living

10. Career Opportunities Nursing Homes
Home Care, Community Care, Special Needs Care
Private homes
Hospitals
Mental Health
Salary range: $7 - $15 (private/public differences)