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Is the HCA Role Changing with Regulation?
Regulation is not expected to change the current Health Care Aide (HCA) role in Alberta.
In This Article
How Do I Know What’s in HCA Scope of Practice?
Scope of practice is not a list of tasks that you can perform. After regulation, your scope of practice will depend on three things.
- What regulation allows you to do (based on laws, regulations, standards, and the code of ethics for HCAs).
- What your employer allows you to do.
- What you are trained and ready to do.
The College of LPNs and HCAs of Alberta (CLHA) will provide education and resources to help HCAs understand their scope of practice.
How Will the HCA Role Be Defined in Regulation?
The HCA role will be defined in a few documents, including legislation, regulation, and standards of practice.
The Health Professions Act
The Health Professions Act lays out the general services that fit within the HCA role. According to the Health Professions Act, HCAs can provide one or more of these professional services:
- support activities of daily living to provide basic personal care and health services,
- participate in client education and promotion of client wellness across the lifespan,
- assist in teaching an approved HCA certificate program,
- teach HCA techniques and practices to practitioners in the workplace, and
- provide restricted activities* identified by the regulations.
*Restricted activities are certain high-risk health services that require authorization to perform. More information about restricted activities will be shared soon.
Other Documents: Regulation, Standards of Practice, and Code of Ethics
HCAs will be able to refer to a few more documents, including regulations, standards of practice, and the code of ethics for HCAs, once they are approved. We will share more information on these documents in the future.
Can My Employer Change My Scope of Practice?
An employer can determine the work that HCAs are able to do in their specific settings as long as that the work falls within the practice statement of the HCA profession.
Are HCAs Becoming Nurses?
No. HCAs are their own distinct profession, which is different from nurses. HCAs play an important role on the healthcare team, providing crucial personal care services and making observations and reporting findings.
How Will Delegation from Nurses and Other Professionals Work?
After regulation, you’ll continue working as part of a team under supervision or direction. You will continue to be assigned tasks by healthcare professionals such as nurses. The main change is that you will be accountable to a regulatory college for providing safe care.
More Information Coming Soon
The College of Licensed Practical Nurses of Alberta (CLPNA) will continue to share updates on HCA practice and responsibilities after regulation. Please contact us if you have any questions.