Guidelines:

A portfolio/collection of work will be written over a period of time in relation to your experiences & involvement on your work placement in a Healthcare Setting in the form of a Work Experience Folder and Diary.

Section 1: Job Description

Write an Introduction / Description of the healthcare setting where you are completing your Work Experience. Include details on:

• How long the organization has been in existence – a detailed history, including location, type of organization, how it is funded.
• Size of overall setting, Number of staff and skill mix – Managers to Healthcare assistants.
• Provide an Organizational Chart of Management and Staff.
• Service user / Client profile {who the organization caters for} and services provided.
• The culture of organization {mission statement, leadership styles, staff morale, support given to staff}
• Write about your role as a Healthcare Assistant – include details on what the position of HCA entails.

Section 2: Daily Diary Entries

Construct a Diary Entries for 8 of the days you are on placement in your Healthcare Setting. Select any 8 days out of your total amount of days worked (150 hours’ minimum).

• Describe your immediate Setting, description of the actual department/ward, client/service user profile, number of clients/service users in your care on specified day.
• Include a Routine: Arrival Times, Assigned tasks, Involvement in implementing Activities, Participation in assisting clients/ service users with activities of daily living, provide/draw a clear timetable in each diary for each day (there should be some variation from the standard routine plan on a day to day basis.)
• Discuss assigned tasks carried out e.g. assisting client/service users with personal care, toileting, mobility, feeding
• Highlight/Discuss Communication with all Stakeholders – Clients/Service users, family and Staff.
• Identify Challenges/Rewarding situations which may have arisen – issues and challenges encountered by you during your Work Experience Hours.

Section 3: Reflection / Evaluation

• Give details of New Learning that has occurred over your work placement.
• Did you face any Challenges on your work placement? Give details of how you faced this challenge and resolved the situation.
• What Positive Experiences did you encounter as part of your work placement?
• Describe what would you do differently for a future Work Experience placement?
• Include an up-to-date Copy of your Curriculum Vitae with a Sample Application Letter.
• Provide evidence of research for future possible Career Paths and future possible related Qualifications:
• Research Job Advertisements and provide an actual researched example of a Healthcare Assistant Advertisement.
• Research further Education courses relating to Healthcare and provide examples of options available to continue studies after QQI Level 5 Course is complete.