Roles & Responsibilities of the Care Team in Supporting
Health Care Support Workers
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Island Health
February 22, 2021
Page 1 of 3
The Health Career Access Program (HCAP) initiative is introducing a new role, Health Care Support
Worker (HCSW), into the current care model within Long-term Care and Assisted Living.
The HCSWs will be integrated into the healthcare team to enhance the quality of life and care of
residents, in a non-clinical role. HCSWs are paid employees and part of the healthcare team, but their
duties and responsibilites are non-clinical (i.e., no direct care is performed). They are not Health Care
Assitant (HCA) students when working in the HCSW role.
The education pathway to become an HCA is integrated into the HCSW position with off-site, in-course
education at a partnered Post-Secondary Institution. The clinical portion of the HCA program will be
during their practicum phase towards the end of the HCA curriculum, under the direct supervision of the
PSI HCA instructor.
The following information describes key responsibilities of each occupation. Please review this
document to understand how you can contribute to supporting the HCSW as a valued member of the
healthcare team.
Manager or Designate (e.g., Clinical Nurse Leader)
Onboarding
• Complete the onboarding and hiring processes.
• Review the Island Health Limits and Conditions: Health Care Support Worker document.
• Welcome the new HCSW and review expectations for their role.
• Schedule unit-based orientation and buddy shifts with CNL and Peer Mentor.
• Review rotation with the HCSW (Monday-Friday, days/evenings).
• Manage any issues of performance and/or role confusion.
• Ensure any reporting for initiative completed.
• Inform HCSWs of unit-specific protocols and skills, and communicate any changes and updates.
Coaching and Mentoring
• Mentor and coach the Peer Mentor and the new HCSW.
• Inform HCSWs of unit-specific protocols and skills, and communicate any changes and updates.
• Identify any unit-specific protocols and procedures that HCSWs cannot perform.
• Provide feedback to the HCSW. This is critical to the development of the HCSW’s professional
and non-clinical competencies.
• Check in with HCSWs and staff to obtain feedback on their experiences and team integration.
Staff Engagement
• Inform staff of the HCAP initiative by clearly defining the role and responsibilities.
• Engage frontline staff in the Peer Mentorship role.
• Share an overview of the Roles & Responsibilities of the Care Team in Supporting Health Care
Support Workers document.
Applies to:
All health care team members who work with Health Care Support Workers.
Purpose:
To provide clarity about the role and responsibilities of various care team members in
supporting Health Care Support Workers.
