The Alberta Health Care Aide Directory
Health Care Aides (HCAs) are important and respected members of Alberta’s front-line healthcare and an important part of helping Albertans receive quality, person-centred care.
The Alberta Health Care Aide Directory:
- Provides information on Alberta’s largest group of care providers in continuing care.
- Serves as a central resource for Alberta HCAs to get information, news and updates.
- Confirms that HCAs working in Alberta have successfully attained the core competencies necessary to provide safe, proficient care for patients and clients.
- Educates employers, educators, stakeholders and Albertans about HCAs’ role in healthcare.
- Acts as a database to collect information on HCA employment necessary for workforce planning.
There are three core competencies on the Alberta HCA Directory:
- Certified: HCAs who have successfully completed and received a Health Care Aide certificate in Alberta.
- Substantial Equivalence: Graduates of a Health Care Aide program outside of Alberta, internationally educated nurses; and individuals with education as a Health Care Aide, personal support worker, continuing care assistant, nurse, or other profession considered to provide direct patient care.
- Deemed Competent: HCAs who have no formal health care education and have been assessed using a completed competency assessment tool by a regulated nurse employed by an operator.
New to Alberta?
A Substantial Equivalence Assessment is a standardized, rigorous and transparent evaluation of the education of health care providers who did not graduate from an approved Alberta Health Care Aide (HCA) Program.
Eligible applicants include:
- Graduates of a health care program outside of the province of Alberta.
- Internationally Educated Nurses; and
- Individuals with education as a health care aide, personal support worker, continuing care assistant, nurse or other profession considered to provide direct patient care.
For more infomation on the Substantial Equivalence Assessment and the requirements please visit our Substantial Equivalence Assessment requirements webpage.
Mandatory Enrolment
Alberta Health has mandated that all Health Care Aides (HCAs) working for a publicly funded employer ensure continued enrolment in the Alberta HCA Directory.
Click here to Enrol in the HCA Directory
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