To think I can be a health care assistant in a hospital?

[Jobformeornot]

Just that really, no previous medical experience, but apparently it’s not needed.
What can I expect? Going to apply soon

Expect to have B3 & B4 responsibilities, as a B2, whilst the B3 & B4 do the B5s work.

The B5s do the B6s work, you get the drift.

You will hardly see a staff room or toilet.

Hard bloody work.

What the fuck are all these 'B's ... sounds like a riddle about vitamin tablets 🤣

To be a good carer, you need to be a good person ... everything v else can be taught 👍🏻

Confused about the Bs!!!

Oh sorry! Just realised you mean bands! Been a long weekend

It can be a difficult job but also rewarding if you enjoy looking after people.
You will probably have training before you start, basic nursing care, lifting and handling, infection control, health and safety, privacy and dignity, confidentiality. Theres a lot to learn before you start, is it for a ward.
When you start you should work with an experienced carer, you will help patients eat and drink, get washed and dressed, walk around, serve meals, help them with the toilet, change their position in bed or on a chair. You will probably also get involved with keeping the ward tidy and stocked up. You may get qllocates to work in a team of staff and help look after a bay of patients. Once you settle in and have mastered the 3ssential care you will be taught more skills like blood pressure and maybe other tests.

I think it’s the type of job you need to have a knack for - the right sort of personality and people skills. You’ll quickly learn as you go along - expect hard work for little pay though, sadly.

Basic maths and English test, interview, criminal record check, then one days training and off you go.

Good luck OP, it's a hard mostly thankless job but such an important one. Sad that the hospital where I work pays HCAs less per hour than every major supermarket pays people to stack shelves.

The b stands for banding, the numbers are at what level.
2 is HCA
3 is senior HCA
4 is very senior HCA or nurse associate
5 is new staff nurse to very experienced
6 is deputy ward manager or senior staff nurse
7 is ward manager, specialist nurse, nurse practitioner, site nurse, bed manager
8 is senior nurses like matrons
That just basic info, they also apply to admin jobs and therapists. Some places offer different jobs at same bands. The wages are shown in Agenda For Change

I've been doing it for 6 years. You dont need any maths skills as you dont do any medication or anything that involves maths. All you need it the need to want to look after people, if you dont then it's not the job for you. It's so tiring and demanding, you have to have a level head and be able to work under so much pressure

With time you will learn medical abbreviations and some conditions however like nurses and doctors your constantly learning. 6 years on and I still ask questions and ask for advice.

Lauren, I’m an (ex)RN and HCA’s definitely DO need basic numeracy. Don’t you do obs? Don’t you need to be able to accurately add up the NEWS scores? Input Fluid balance sheets when emptying catheter bags or weighing pads and adding up how much fluid the patient has drunk that hour?