Introduction

Program Description

Learners enrolled in this program will be prepared to provide direct person-centred care in a variety of care settings such as community (through home support agencies); long-term care facilities and hospitals. Providing assistive and supportive care to meet the various unmet needs of elderly, disabled, chronically ill or convalescent persons and their families is emphasized. Components of the program include learning to care for the individual’s home environment, as well as meal preparation and selected personal care procedures.

Program Philosophy

The Continuing Care program is designed to educate and equip Continuing Care Assistants with the ability to provide respectful, appropriate care to persons needing assistance with activities, or instrumental activities, of daily living in various settings. The philosophy of care embedded in the program is a holistic social model of care, which considers the individual and their family to be at the center of the care and services provided.

The curriculum is regularly updated to meet changing health care and sector needs. Students who complete all components of the program are eligible to write a provincial certification exam to obtain the designation of Continuing Care Assistant (CCA).

The program prepares students to deliver quality front-line short or long-term care – assistance, and support services – which enhance quality of life and promote independence for persons within community and facility. Graduates of the program may be employed in a variety of care settings including nursing homes/homes for the aged, home support agencies, small options, acute care, private homes and long term care facilities.

The NS DHW requires all employees in designated care settings to have a Continuing Care Assistant Certificate that meets the Department’s standards for entry-level workers.

Shift work is an integral part of the occupation of CCA. Physical demands include moving and lifting others as well as spending lengthy periods on one’s feet. Emotional demands include frequent stressful and occasional emergency situations.

The clinical placements/practicums offer the opportunity to integrate and build on the skills acquired in the theory and lab components of the program. It is mandatory that students complete all of the hours for clinical placement. The components are:

Skills Development: 108 hours of Skills Development clinical placement is scheduled at the end of first semester. This occurs in a long-term care facility under the direct supervision of clinical faculty.

Home Support Mentorship: 40 hours of Home Support placement is scheduled in the second semester. This is a mentorship placement and there is indirect supervision from the RN/LPN faculty.

Open Mentorship: 56 hours of open mentorship is scheduled in the second semester. This may include one or more placement settings such as home support, long term care, and acute care or in some cases, an approved alternate setting. This is a mentorship placement and there is indirect supervision from the RN/LPN faculty.

Program Requirements/Milestones

• CRC/VSC & CAR – As a new student, you would have submitted your official Criminal Record and Vulnerable Sector Check to admissions when you applied to the CCA program. A Child Abuse Registry Check is also required and must be submitted through ParaMed. If you are a returning student, a current, official Criminal Record check and Vulnerable Sector check and Child Abuse Registry search are required. A conviction or finding on any of these checks may impact your ability to obtain a work placement. Inability to obtain a work placement will impact the student’s ability to complete program requirements and proceed through to graduation.
  • Students are accountable to obtain and have these records available to be reviewed by the placement partner. The placement partner makes the final decision on eligibility to attend the work placement.
• Immunizations – A completed immunization form is required at the start of the program. You will be given information about how to provide this information during your program orientation. You will be required to upload your completed immunization form to ParaMed by the end of the first month of your program (i.e. September 30th).
• First Aid/CPR – Standard First Aid and CPR Level C must be completed prior to Skills Development I clinical. Please check with your campus as to how this is to be submitted and validated. If you already have one or more of these certificates, it is required that they be current until after the CCA certification exam is written.
• OH&S/WHMIS – OH&S and WHMIS certificates must be completed prior to your labs starting. OH&S and WHMIS need to be completed using the NSCC courses found in Brightspace. If you already have one or more of these certificates, it is required that they be current until after the CCA certification exam is written.
• Food Safety – Students must complete TrainCan Inc., Basics.fst or equivalent (Food Safety) prior to the Mealtime Assistance Course. Please check with your campus as to how this is to be submitted and validated.

For more information on Program Requirements and ParaMed, please refer to the Health and Human Services Program Requirements webpage

Textbooks

The Continuing Care program requires certain textbooks to be purchased. Information on campus bookstore locations, hours of operation and how to purchase textbooks can be found on the NSCC Bookstore webpage.