Certificate III in Health Services Assistance

This healthcare-assistant course provides a strong foundation for support roles in health settings. You'll learn to work with patients under supervision of professional health staff.

You will graduate with practical skills in a range of healthcare tasks and hospital duties, including:

• transporting patients
• preparing and maintaining beds
• following basic food safety practice
• infection control and prevention
• recognising healthy body systems
• basic medical terminology
• workplace health and safety.

This course includes a work placement in a healthcare environment to help you further develop your skills and gain direct industry experience.

With this practical qualification, you'll be ready to work in support roles in hospitals, community services and other health care settings. Job prospects are good, with employment for nursing support and personal care workers expected to grow strongly (Labour Market Insights).

You'll be ready to provide a range of assistance to professional staff for the care of patients or clients. You'll have the communication skills and technical and procedural knowledge to work in areas such as:

• health services
• patient support
• food services
• patient transport.

Example job titles include:

• orderly
• nursing assistant
• nursing support worker
• operating theatre technician
• patient service assistant (PSA)
• ward assistant
• patient support assistant
• wards person
• patient care assistant
• ward support.

The course structure comprises the following core and elective units. These electives have been selected based on industry needs, graduate pathways and/or student and teacher feedback.

To be awarded HLT33115 Certificate III in Health Services Assistance, a student must successfully complete a total of fifteen (15) units of competency, comprising of:

• seven (7) core units, and;

• eight (8) elective units, consisting of:

• at least six (6) units from the electives listed in the HLT33115 Certificate III in Health Services Assistance qualification;

• up to two (2) units from any endorsed training package or accredited course - these units must be relevant to the work outcome.

Elective units must be relevant to the work environment and the qualification, maintain the integrity of the AQF alignment and contribute to a valid, industry-supported vocational outcome.

Use our credit calculator to find out how much credit you could get towards your course, based on your previous study.

You may be able to complete your qualification sooner through formal recognition of your existing skills. This is known as Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL).

To receive RPL, we assess your previous work, education and life experiences against recognised qualifications. Applications for RPL can be made prior to enrolling.

Call us on 1300 TAFE VP (1300 823 387) to discuss RPL options with the course manager.

Before starting your application, please read through the step-by-step VU Polytechnic application process to make sure you have all the necessary documents and information ready to successfully complete your application.

Before applying, you should consider whether you also want to apply for:

• Credit transfer/Recognition of prior learning (RPL): If you have significant experience or studies elsewhere you may be eligible for credit for some units of your course and not have to undertake them.