Health Care Assistant - Tasks and specialisations
Kaiāwhina Tapuhi
Tasks & duties
Health care assistants may do some or all of the following, depending on the type of facility they work in:
- help patients with personal care such as eating, showering and toileting
- clean and prepare medical equipment and instruments
- take patients' electrocardiogram (ECG) readings, samples and fluid balances
- help patients' rehabilitation in areas such as social skills and walking
- keep work areas and patients' rooms clean and tidy
- change bedlinen
- prepare and serve meals
- carry out clerical and phone duties
- assist with, and prepare for patient discharges.
Karen McIntyre and a colleague making a bed
Health care assistants make notes about patients and their care on computerised databases
Specialisations
Health care assistants may specialise in the following areas:
- care of the elderly
- care of people with disabilities
- medical assistance in hospitals
- community care services.
Updated
January 2009
