Temporary Emergency Registration (TER) for Nursing Students ends January 31, 2024
In spring 2020 to assist with COVID-19 pandemic efforts, the BC Care Aide & Community Health Worker Registry (the Registry) established temporary emergency registration (TER) for nursing students to register as Health Care Assistants (HCAs). The TER registration category will end on January 31, 2024. Temporary emergency registrants (TER registrants) who wish to continue with HCA employment in a publicly funded setting, must move to full registration status on the Registry before TER registration expires on January 31, 2024. There are two (2) Options to move to full registration status (dependent on registrant’s individual circumstances) before January 31, 2024. There is no cost for either Option. Further information can be found in the Official Announcement and FAQ. Please view the Official Announcement and FAQ here News & Information
Access to Practical Nursing Education Incentive Bursary
January 05, 2023 On August 23, 2022, the Ministry of Health (MoH) announced the Access to Practical Nursing Education Incentive Bursary. This bursary is for students and recent graduates enrolled in a recognized Access to Practical Nursing (APN) program at a BC-based public institution. The APN program is a unique career laddering program for Health Care Assistants (HCAs) wishing to train as Licensed Practical Nurses (LPNs). The APN program allows students to apply training and experience garnered as an HCA to accelerate their training as an LPN. Incentivizing HCAs to enroll in this program will help to retain HCAs in BC’s public health system and to expedite the number of LPNs available to support more immediate LPN staffing needs. This bursary will be paid in equal installments each semester to new students, as a one-time payment to recent graduates, or as a combination of these two payment methods for mid-stream students, to a total of $10,000. For more information, click here News & Information
Health Care Assistant Day 2022
October 03, 2022 October 18, 2022 marks Health Care Assistant Day in BC. Join us in celebrating and recognizing all Health Care Assistants in your community this year, to show our appreciation for their hard work and dedication to our health care system.Health Care Assistants make a tremendous difference in our lives and this annual event has been recognized by unions, educators and employers. Health Care Assistant Day was first officially proclaimed in 2011 by the BC Provincial Government. Health Care Assistants may have many different job titles including Community Health Worker, Residential Care Aide, Home Support Worker, Long-Term Care Aide, Home Health Aide, Continuing Care Assistant, and Personal Care Aide. The one thing all Health Care Assistants in BC have in common is that they provide frontline personal care and assistance services to vulnerable patients, clients and residents. Please take the time on Health Care Assistant Day (October 18, 2022) to recognize and thank Health Care Assistants across British Columbia! Download the Proclamation here. News & Information
COVID-19 Announcements
Information on this page is outdated. Please review RECENT NEWS ITEM POSTED HERE: Temporary Emergency Registration (TER) for Nursing Students ends January 31, 2024 – CareAide BC (cachwr.bc.ca). June 14, 2022 As the COVID-19 pandemic evolves, the BC Care Aide & Community Health Worker Registry (The Registry) will continue to send emails directly to those impacted by updates and to those applicants with questions. All updates and announcements will be consolidated on this webpage; please check back on a regular basis for updated information. TEMP registrants who have not yet met nursing coursework requirements for full registration as HCAs will be provided with an opportunity to transition to full HCA registration through a time-limited alternate process. Temporary Emergency Registration status for the student nurse category is in effect to support COVID-19 pandemic efforts. Temporary Emergency Registration will be automatically extended as long as the public health emergency related to COVID-19 remains in effect. When the public health emergency related to COVID-19 is declared over, the registration of nursing students holding Temporary Emergency Registration will automatically expire after 30 days. The alternate process must be initiated by TEMP registrants themselves and, as part of the alternate process, their employers have a role. When the public health emergency is declared over, detailed information about this alternate transition process will be published on this webpage and information will also be emailed to all TEMP registrants. The alternate process will cease to exist 30 days after the COVID-19 public health emergency is declared over, at which time regular application requirements for nursing students will be in effect. Interim Registration Measures and Updates for Educators The Registry is aware that COVID-19 has further increased the demand for Health Care Assistants (HCAs). The Registry’s top priority at the time is to process applications and register HCAs. To remove barriers during this challenging time, the Registry has implemented a number of interim measures to support registration. BC HCA Program Graduate Registration The Registry will: Accept unofficial transcripts temporarily (subject to full verification at a later date) Online application here. Please see further information Specific Updates for BC HCA Program Education Programs. Important Note: BC HCA program graduate applicants must provide evidence of program completion. Incomplete transcripts indicating the HCA program is still in progress are not accepted. Transcripts must show final grades assigned for all required HCA courses. Incomplete applications will not be processed. Nursing Student Registration – Fully meet the established Registry criteria The Registry will: Accept unofficial transcripts, temporarily (subject to full verification at a later date) Waive the character reference letter requirement (students may attach the mandatory post secondary competency reference letter twice). See Appendix 1 Nursing Student Programs – Coursework for Full HCA Registration. Temporary Emergency Registration – Nursing StudentsTemporary Emergency Registration will be automatically extended as long as the public health emergency related to COVID-19 remains in effect. When the public health emergency related to COVID-19 is declared over, the registration of nursing students holding Temporary Emergency Registration will automatically expire after 30 days. For nursing program students who do not meet established coursework criteria for full registration, temporary registration will be possible for nursing students who apply online and provide evidence of successful completion of a minimum of one semester of foundational nursing coursework, with: Completion of a nursing skills course (including personal care skills lab practice and assessment) Supervised clinical experience in long term care and/or acute care setting (subject to program competency verification) A Nursing Program Administrator (e.g., Coordinator, Assistant Dean, Dean) must provide students with a competency reference letter that follows the Student Competency Letter Template. Online application here. IMPORTANT: To transition from temporary registration status to full registration status, you must provide evidence of completion of nursing program coursework as per Appendix 1 Nursing Student Programs – Coursework. Please send to register@cachwr.bc.ca or send a message with attached documentation in your online Registry account. Specific Updates for BC Health Care Assistant Education Programs As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to rapidly evolve, the Registry is aware of and is monitoring the impact on Health Care Assistant (HCA) education programs, faculty and students, and we want to extend our support as needed. Update – September 3, 2021 The Registry has implemented a Temporary Framework for Remote HCA Program Compliance Reassessment for recognized HCA programs. Use of this temporary framework has been extended until further notice due to COVID-19. In response to the Provincial Health Officer’s directive to educational institutions, health authorities and/or practice education placement sites, HCA programs may be required to move to virtual instruction or to cancel classes, labs and/or student practice placements. Recognized HCA programs are asked to be in contact with the Registry regarding any changes to program delivery, including but not limited to the following: Remote learning (e.g. moving to offer courses online or via videoconference, etc.) Practice education placements (e.g., interrupted or cancelled placements, etc.) One time funded programs (e.g., delayed or interrupted, etc.) Temporary program suspensions (e.g. due to closure of a campus, etc.) Delays and/or cancellations to regularly scheduled program intakes HCA programs will be responsible for documenting modifications made to programs during the pandemic emergency period, including changes in access to practice education placements and alternate methods of course delivery. The Registry may request reporting on these adjustments as part of the education program review process or as verification that new graduates have met requirements for registration. Modification to address these extenuating circumstances are permitted in the short term for the duration of the pandemic only and not precedent-setting or to become permanent changes to the program. In the event that the pandemic continues long term, additional requirements may be set. The Private Training Institutions Branch (PTIB) may set additional requirements. For more information or to report changes to your program, please email Education@cachwr.bc.ca. For further reference, please view: COVID-19 Novel Coronavirus – Provincial Health Officer Orders and Noticeshttps://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/health/about-bc-s-health-care-system/office-of-the-provincial-health-officer/current-health-topics/covid-19-novel-coronavirus *Original news article publish date: April 6th, 2021 News & Information
Health Care Assistant Opportunities for Internationally Educated Nurses
February 03, 2022 Health Match BC is hosting an interactive webinar for Internationally Educated Nurses (IENs) interested in the Health Care Assistant (HCA) profession in BC. The webinar event will be held on February 10, 2022. For more information and to register, go to: IEN Webinar – Choose2Care.ca – BC Health Care Assistants News & Information
Health Care Assistant Day 2021
September 29, 2021 October 18, 2021 marks Health Care Assistant Day in BC. Join us in celebrating and recognizing all Health Care Assistants in your community this year, to show our appreciation for their hard work and dedication to our health care system. Health Care Assistants make a tremendous difference in our lives and this annual event has been recognized by unions, educators and employers. Health Care Assistant Day was first officially proclaimed in 2011 by the BC Provincial Government. Health Care Assistants may have many different job titles including Community Health Worker, Residential Care Aide, Home Support Worker, Long-Term Care Aide, Home Health Aide, Continuing Care Assistant, and Personal Care Aide. The one thing all Health Care Assistants in BC have in common is that they provide frontline personal care and assistance services to vulnerable patients, clients and residents. Please take the time on Health Care Assistant Day (October 18, 2021) to recognize and thank Health Care Assistants across British Columbia! Download the Proclamation here. News & Information
Health Care Assistant Day 2020
August 29, 2020 October 18, 2020 marks Health Care Assistant Day in BC. Join us in celebrating and recognizing all Health Care Assistants in your community this year, to show our appreciation for their hard work and dedication to our health care system. Health Care Assistants make a tremendous difference in our lives and this annual event has been recognized by unions, educators and employers. Health Care Assistant Day was first officially proclaimed in 2011 by the BC Provincial Government. Health Care Assistants may have many different job titles including Community Health Worker, Residential Care Aide, Home Support Worker, Long-Term Care Aide, Home Health Aide, Continuing Care Assistant, and Personal Care Aide. The one thing all Health Care Assistants in BC have in common is that they provide frontline personal care and assistance services to vulnerable patients, clients and residents. Please take the time on Health Care Assistant Day (October 18, 2020) to recognize and thank Health Care Assistants across British Columbia! Download the Proclamation here. News & Information
Announcements of Interest
May 13, 2020 Announcements of Interest for Health Care Assistants This announcement has been posted at the request of the BC Centre for Palliative Care. You’re invited to… Summer 2020 Series:Patio Ponderings with Kath and Misha A series of online meet-ups offered by the BC Centre for Palliative Care for BC’s Health Care Assistants https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jvf9oXIPPxI As a Care Aide, Home Support Worker, Community Health Worker or other similar role in the time of COVID, you’re doing incredible work in tough circumstances. Even with support from your leaders, you might still feel disconnected or that it’s hard to find a laugh when you need it. Ask yourself: Would you like to connect with colleagues from across BC?Do you want to share stories and stresses in a safe environment?Do you want to be inspired with education and strategies for coping in 2020? If yes… then you are invited to join Patio Ponderings with Kath and Misha — an online gathering offered by the BC Centre for Palliative Care that offers you a safe environment to share your stories, stresses and triumphs… and there’s a fun contest for prizes! Social Connection in a Time of Physical Distancing Social isolation is a health hazard! Consider ways to promote social connection while maintaining physical distancing. We’ll share some strategies and want to hear yours! The “Summer 2020 Patio Ponderings Challenge” will be launched! CLICK ON A LINK TO REGISTER Monday, July 13, 2pm Tuesday, July 14, 7pm Dealing with Fear and Anxiety We are bombarded with news, stories and statistics about the COVID-19 pandemic. Learn new ways to look at fear and to treat the pandemic as a challenge, not a threat. We all have stories we hear, stories we tell ourselves and stories we share… do they fill you with fear and stop you from moving forward, or sustain and support you? CLICK ON A LINK TO REGISTER Monday, July 20, 2pm Tuesday, July 21, 7pm Adapting Rituals of Grief and Growth With COVID-19 restrictions, many of our rituals for loss and grief have been cancelled or postponed. What are rituals, why do we use them, and how can we create new rituals to help with healing during the pandemic? You are invited to bring a small piece of nature that speaks to you to the session. CLICK ON A LINK TO REGISTER Monday, August 10, 2pm Tuesday, August 11, 7pm Self- Reflection to Support Grief and Growth COVID-19 has brought so many losses with no time to grieve and grow. Identify the different losses experienced during COVID-19, explore grief as a whole-person response to loss that’s individual to each person. We’ll explore self-reflection as one way to choose growth. CLICK ON A LINK TO REGISTER Monday, August 24, 2pm Tuesday, August 25, 7pm A Dash of Creativity and Laughter Laughter is a powerful tool to help deal with difficult situations. Prepare for this session by submitting a creative project to the Summer 2020 Patio Ponderings Challenge (before August 25), and get ready to share your project. CLICK ON A LINK TO REGISTER Monday, August 31, 2pm Tuesday, September 1, 7pm News & Information
New Registration Pathway for Out-of-Province, Canadian-Trained Health Care Assistants
February 06, 2020 There is a new registration pathway available to Health Care Assistants (HCAs) educated in other provinces. The NCAS HCA Competency Assessment remains in place as an option for this category of applicant. For further application options information click here. The new expedited registration pathway creates a shared employer and BC Care Aide & Community Health Worker (Registry) accountability for ensuring the competency of qualified Canadian HCAs before they provide direct or indirect care for patients, clients or residents. The Registry confirms the qualified Canadian HCA applicants’ credentials and experience meet the expedited pathway’s minimum standards. Participating Employers ensure the qualified Canadian HCA employee completes the standardized orientation program requirements and is competent to deliver safe and effective care. Additional Information for Applicants: Expedited Pathway – Application Process Map HCA Expedited Pathway Applicant Q and A Participating Employers List Additional Information for Employers: Please contact the Registry at info@cachwr.bc.ca for further information on how to become a Participating Employer. Related: Ministry of Health News Release (November 2019)Ministry of Health E-Newsletter (January 2020)A new website about health care assistants: http://www.choose2care.ca News & Information
Choose2Care.ca website launch
October 15, 2019 Choose2Care.ca is a new website designed to increase awareness of the HCA profession, to highlight the benefits of working as an HCA, and to educate potential HCAs about the pathways towards training, registration, and employment. It is helpful information for anyone interested in education and career options as a registered Health Care Assistant in British Columbia. Further information is also available throughsocial media by following @Choose2CareBC on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. (#choose2care hashtag) News & Information