Health care aide student tending to a patient in the simulation lab Health care aide student tending to a patient in the simulation lab

School of Health

Tend to Your Future as a Caregiver

As a Health Care Aide (HCA), you can use your compassionate nature to support clients with medical conditions or major functional limitations. Learn how to develop care strategies and provide person-centred care to clients who require physical and emotional support.

HCA's play a vital role in the workforce, providing basic health services and support with daily living activities for patients. During a clinical placement under the direction of a regulated health professional, students will experience an HCA's role in a practical setting.

Get the Green Light for Admission

To be considered for admission, you must meet specific criteria, including English language proficiency and the following courses or equivalents:

  • English 20-1 or 20-2 with a minimum score of 60% achieved or Canadian jurisdiction equivalent;
    OR
  • English 30-1 or 30-2 with a minimum of 55% or Canadian jurisdiction equivalent, such as a Canadian High School Equivalency Diploma, General Educational Development (GED), or Canadian Adult Education Credential (CAEC).
  • Deemed equivalent by completion of Next-Generation ACCUPLACER (assessment placement test) reading and writing tests, with a minimum score of 237 in each category. The math test is not required.
     

Full Admission Requirements

Crunch the Numbers

From tuition and books to housing and parking, the cost of post-secondary includes several components. Our Tuition and Fee Calculator makes it easy to see a breakdown based on your program and student type.

Take the guesswork out of planning and get a clearer picture of what your NWP experience might cost.

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Health and Safety Requirements

NWP's School of Health is dedicated to upholding standards of practice in healthcare and ensuring that all students obtain and maintain the necessary certifications. Below, you will find comprehensive information about the health and safety requirements for students who have received final admission to the program.

Protection of Privacy - The personal information that you provide is collected in accordance with Section 33(c) of the Alberta Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act (FOIP Act) and will be used to determine and verify program requirements to secure practicum placements. The information you provide will be disclosed through HSP Net in accordance with your HSP Net consent form for Use and Disclosure of Student Information. Collected personal information is protected from unauthorized access, collection, use, and disclosure in accordance with the FOIP Act and can be reviewed upon request subject to the provisions under the Act. Questions regarding the collection of personal information may be directed to FOIP@nwpolytech.ca.

NWP's School of Health is dedicated to upholding standards of practice in healthcare and ensuring that all students obtain and maintain the necessary certifications. Below, you will find comprehensive information about the health and safety requirements for students who have received final admission to the program.

Protection of Privacy - The personal information that you provide is collected in accordance with Section 33(c) of the Alberta Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act (FOIP Act) and will be used to determine and verify program requirements to secure practicum placements. The information you provide will be disclosed through HSP Net in accordance with your HSP Net consent form for Use and Disclosure of Student Information. Collected personal information is protected from unauthorized access, collection, use, and disclosure in accordance with the FOIP Act and can be reviewed upon request subject to the provisions under the Act. Questions regarding the collection of personal information may be directed to FOIP@nwpolytech.ca.

Important Guidelines for Document Submission

Checklists are to be completed ONLY by students who have been admitted into the health care aide program. As outlined below, certain items are due at specific times, so please read carefully.

  • All requirements are mandatory. Northwestern Polytechnic is committed to meeting standards of practice by ensuring that students attain and maintain required certifications and meet recommended immunization standards.
  • Returning students must ensure checklist requirements are up to date – Contact the department for information.
  • Students are responsible for paying any fees associated with obtaining these requirements.
  • Copies of your documents must be submitted to: @email
  • If possible, please submit all documents together in one email. Save your files as PDFs and ensure the filename matches the form and your student ID number. (Example: Clinical_Placement_Agreement_8675309.pdf). It is a good idea to place all your saved documents in one folder for easy access if you are asked to provide them.
  • Please use your student email address and include "Checklist Documents" in the subject line. Sign the email with your name and student ID number.
  • If you fail to submit these documents within the specified time frame, you will not be cleared for clinical and will be withdrawn from the course.
  • Note: Your certifications cannot expire during any clinical experience. To be eligible for clinical, you must recertify within the specified dates. This may mean recertifying before the expiry date listed on your certificate.
  • Students who are out of sync must ensure that documents are submitted as required in the applicable timeframe.
  • Please see the links below to access the required forms and further instructions. Note: Some forms may require additional time to complete.
  • Questions? Please contact our Clinical Placement Coordinator.

Year 1

The following items are due by September 30th (Fairview Campus) and January 30th (Grande Prairie Campus) or in your first year, depending on which campus you are attending. 

Be prepared. They will be discussed and completed in one of your classes during the first few weeks of September or January.

  1. HSPnet Consent Form
  2. Clinical Placement Agreement
  3. PN Personal Declaration
  4. AHS Confidentiality Training Modules
  5. AHS Photo ID Badge/Access Card Request Form
  6. AHS Organizational Learning (Respectful Workplace) Modules
  7. Immunization and Practicum Disclosure Waiver Form
  8. Police Information Check Waiver Form

The following items are due between July 1st and July 30th (Fairview Campus) or November 1st and November 30th (Grande Prairie Campus) in your first year.

  1. Student Immunization Form: (Form to be completed by Public Health. Start working on this as soon as possible, no later than 60 days before the submission window).
  2. Mask Fit Test (must be dated within the submission window, valid for 2 years).
  3. Police Information Check with Vulnerable Sector (do not obtain more than 90 days before the submission window).
  4. Heart and Stroke Basic Life Support (BLS-CPR) Certification (Must be dated within the submission window).

Year 2

The following items are due when completed:

  1. Annual Immunizations (Example: Flu)

 

Checklists are to be completed ONLY by students who have been admitted into the health care aide program. As outlined below, certain items are due at specific times, so please read carefully.

  • All requirements are mandatory. Northwestern Polytechnic is committed to meeting standards of practice by ensuring that students attain and maintain required certifications and meet recommended immunization standards.
  • Returning students must ensure checklist requirements are up to date – Contact the department for information.
  • Students are responsible for paying any fees associated with obtaining these requirements.
  • Copies of your documents must be submitted to: @email
  • If possible, please submit all documents together in one email. Save your files as PDFs and ensure the filename matches the form and your student ID number. (Example: Clinical_Placement_Agreement_8675309.pdf). It is a good idea to place all your saved documents in one folder for easy access if you are asked to provide them.
  • Please use your student email address and include "Checklist Documents" in the subject line. Sign the email with your name and student ID number.
  • If you fail to submit these documents within the specified time frame, you will not be cleared for clinical and will be withdrawn from the course.
  • Note: Your certifications cannot expire during any clinical experience. To be eligible for clinical, you must recertify within the specified dates. This may mean recertifying before the expiry date listed on your certificate.
  • Students who are out of sync must ensure that documents are submitted as required in the applicable timeframe.
  • Please see the links below to access the required forms and further instructions. Note: Some forms may require additional time to complete.
  • Questions? Please contact our Clinical Placement Coordinator.

Year 1

The following items are due by September 30th (Fairview Campus) and January 30th (Grande Prairie Campus) or in your first year, depending on which campus you are attending. 

Be prepared. They will be discussed and completed in one of your classes during the first few weeks of September or January.

  1. HSPnet Consent Form
  2. Clinical Placement Agreement
  3. PN Personal Declaration
  4. AHS Confidentiality Training Modules
  5. AHS Photo ID Badge/Access Card Request Form
  6. AHS Organizational Learning (Respectful Workplace) Modules
  7. Immunization and Practicum Disclosure Waiver Form
  8. Police Information Check Waiver Form

The following items are due between July 1st and July 30th (Fairview Campus) or November 1st and November 30th (Grande Prairie Campus) in your first year.

  1. Student Immunization Form: (Form to be completed by Public Health. Start working on this as soon as possible, no later than 60 days before the submission window).
  2. Mask Fit Test (must be dated within the submission window, valid for 2 years).
  3. Police Information Check with Vulnerable Sector (do not obtain more than 90 days before the submission window).
  4. Heart and Stroke Basic Life Support (BLS-CPR) Certification (Must be dated within the submission window).

Year 2

The following items are due when completed:

  1. Annual Immunizations (Example: Flu)

 

The Health Sciences Placement Network (HSPnet) is a computer system used by educational institutions to arrange all clinical placements for students. Students are encouraged to read the HSPnet Identified Purpose and Handling of Personal Information for further information.

Instructions: Read, sign and submit the Health Sciences Placement Network (HSPnet) to @email

Nursing students are privy to healthcare information and are bound by legislation to keep the information they have access to confidential.

Instructions: Please carefully read, sign and submit the Clinical Placement Agreement to @email.

On admission, students should read and understand the College of Licensed Practical Nurses of Alberta (CLPNA) Professional Responsibility and Accountability document.

Instructions: Read the Becoming a Licensed Practical Nurse in Canada Requisite Skills and Abilities document, then sign the Personal Declarations HCA Students Form and email it to @email.

Confidentiality is crucial in health care. Alberta Health Services requires all students to complete confidentiality training and sign a confidentiality agreement.

Instructions: Complete the online modules here. There is a form at the end of the training modules, please sign and email the form to: @email.

Complete the highlighted fields, first name, last name, and position (student) on the AHS Photo ID Badge Form. This is required even if you already have an AHS ID badge, it is needed to request your clinical access. Please note: your student ID picture will also be used for your AHS ID.

Instructions: Email completed form to @email. Do NOT send this form to AHS.

The Required Organizational Learning: Respectful Workplaces and Prevention of Harassment and Violence Policy course supports students and instructors to know how to stay safe during their placement by guiding them on how to appropriately prevent and safely respond to incidents of worker-to-worker and patient-to-worker harassment and violence. It also provides training on AHS' Respectful Workplaces and Prevention of Harassment and Violence Policy and Procedure and aligns with provincial Occupational Health and Safety legislation.

Instructions: Once completed, please submit your completion certificate found at the end of the course and submit it as part of your checklist.

Instructions: Please read, agree to, sign and submit the Immunization and Practicum Disclosure Waiver Form to @email.

Instructions: Please read, agree to, sign and submit the Police Information Check Waiver Form to @email.

All nursing students must be immunized according to AHS requirements. Please note that placements may be refused to students who are not compliant with the standard.

Alberta Health Services (AHS) reserves the right to preclude any students who are not up to date with their immunizations from attending clinical placements for the safety of the patients, students, and staff. This decision would depend on the situation at that specific clinical location. Failure to attend clinical may result in the course expectations not being met and the student not being successful in the course/program.

It is the student's responsibility to ensure that their immunizations are kept up to date, according to the standard for the duration of the program.

Instructions: Contact your local Public Health Centre to make an appointment to have the Student Immunization Clearance Form completed. Here you will find corresponding Appendix A, B, & C. Your Immunization Record must be completed and signed by a health care professional at Public Health. If you are a student from outside Alberta/Canada, please start this process prior to your arrival in Alberta. Once completed, scan and email a copy to @email.

A current N95 mask fit test is required for clinical placements. NWP Continuing Education conducts mask fit tests for a nominal fee. You can book one here.

Continuing Education can be reached at @email or by phone at 780 539 2975.

If students are being tested by an external provider, please ensure that the mask styles comply with AHS's current recommendations.

Instructions: Scan and email your current Mask Fit certificate to: @email. Please note that this needs to be completed during the submission window listed above, this will ensure you never expire during clinical.

Important Information

  • Students must obtain a Police Information Check with Vulnerable Sector Clearance (PIC) to participate in clinical courses.
  • We can now accept digital copies.

If your PIC is unclear, clinical agencies will review your documents to determine if you can participate in clinical experiences at their site. If your PIC is unclear, you must notify the Clinical Placement Coordinator immediately to start this process.

Clinical placement sites that are a part of Alberta Health Services will honour a student's initial Police Information Check for the duration of their program. Clinical placements with other organizations may require a new PIC, dated within 90 days of the start of your clinical course.

If you have any breaks in your nursing program, for any reason, you will need to submit a new Police Information Check with Vulnerable Sector Clearance before restarting the program.

Ensure you familiarize yourself with the requirements and process, including fees, identification to bring, and processing times, to meet this requirement expediently. Fees are the responsibility of the student, and processing times vary depending on the volume of requests.

Students under the age of 18 cannot obtain a PIC and should wait until they turn 18 to complete this requirement. Please email your Clinical Placement Coordinator so they can make this note in your student file.

MyCRC.ca police information checks are not accepted.

Instructions: Obtain a Police Information Check with Vulnerable Sector Clearance (PIC) from your local police detachment, scan it, and send a copy to @emailEnsure that the PIC is dated within 90 days of the submission window.

Students must have a current Heart and Stroke Foundation: Basic Life Support (BLS) Provider - CPR. No other courses will be accepted. Online Blended CPR certification through Heart and Stroke is only accepted if you have completed the in-person component and are fully certified as a BLS - Provider. Students are responsible for covering the cost of the training.

Alberta Health Services (AHS) requires BLS - CPR to be renewed annually. It is the student's responsibility to ensure that their BLS Provider - CPR is current. Students must complete and submit recertification for each year of the program. Students who do not submit during the submission window will be withdrawn from their clinical courses.

BLS - CPR courses are offered through NWP Continuing Education, or students are welcome to find their own training provider as long as it is Heart and Stroke - BLS

Instructions: Scan and email your current CPR certificate to @emailPlease note that this needs to be completed during the submission window listed above. This will ensure that your certificate never expires during clinical.

Take a Peek at What’s Instore

Get a taste for learning and review a few of the required courses.

During this course, you will focus on the role and responsibilities of a health care aide working in a variety of employment settings. The focus of this course is to share information that will result in safe, ethical, and respectful care based on the needs of the client. Care that meets these standards is known as person-centred care. To meet the goal of person-centred care, the health care aide must be familiar with the provincial legislation that guides safe, ethical, and personalized care. In addition, knowledge of how to work as part of the health-care team is essential, as is the ability to follow your employer’s policy and procedures and your job description. The HCA is responsible for identifying, managing, and preventing potential environmental hazards in facilities and community-based settings and focusing on the client’s safety as well as your own safety in different settings.

All Course Information

In this course, you will study the systems that make up the human body and discuss the milestones of growth and development across a lifetime. You will read about and discuss the most common of the chronic illnesses that you may encounter, and you will learn how to provide safe care based on evidence-informed practices according to the clients’ diagnoses, needs, and care plans. The information learned in this course will provide you with care strategies to support the client and the client’s family through the process of a client’s dying and death.

All Course Information

In this course, the learner will learn to support clients to maintain their independence and meet their care needs according to individual care plans. The learner will acquire the skills and knowledge needed to assist clients with daily grooming and hygiene and to assist clients to walk and use mobility aids and wheel chairs safely. The learner will learn several methods for carrying out client lifts and transfers, with a focus on client safety and comfort. Upon completion of the course, the learner will have an excellent baseline knowledge of standards for meeting client nutritional needs and strict guidelines in safe food handling as set out in minimum provincial expectations.

All Course Information

Kickstart a Career in Healthcare

A health care aid certificate opens the door to a career providing care, assistance and support in continuing care facilities, hospitals, private homes, acute care hospitals, and retirement homes.

Map out your career path. Our knowledgeable Advising team can help you get started and bring your goals into focus.

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