Other assisting occupations in support of health services

Activity workers in healthcare settings: 

• In conjunction with therapists, participate in the identification and development of programs and set up and carry out these programs within established guidelines and procedures
• Under the direction of a therapist, support and implement group activities and individualized treatment such as range of motion exercises, hydrotherapy, retraining, group recreation programs, speech/music and exercises and report problems to the therapist
• Assist residents with activities of daily living (ADL) as required, such as feeding, lifts and transfers, grooming and toileting
• Assist residents with community outings
• Provide input to facility staff regarding resident participation in designated activities and programs
• Transport clients or residents by automobile
• Introduce assigned volunteers to programs and provides guidance to volunteers during programs
• Perform record-keeping functions, such as statistics and attendance lists and complete requisitions as required
• Perform other related duties as required

Audiometric technicians:

• Assist audiologists during hearing and hearing aid evaluations of very young, developmentally delayed and difficult-to-test children using various behaviour management and conditioning techniques
• Conduct general audiometric tests such as automated otoacoustic emission (AOAE) screening, automated auditory brainstem response screening (AABR), pure tone hearing screening and impedance tests following established pass/fail protocols
• Instruct clients on procedures and record and report test results to the audiologist
• Arrange audiometric screening activities in clinical and community settings, such as hospitals and schools, by performing duties such as liaising with school officials to schedule and confirm screening times, booking clients for programs/services and establishing and maintaining client statistics
• Assist in providing training to screening personnel in the use of portable audiometers
• Stay current with hearing aid and related technology and instruct clients, caregivers and community agencies regarding the use of this equipment
• Perform fitting and modification of ear molds and take client ear impressions, which includes visual inspection of the ear canal, inserting impression material, checking for accuracy and processing for shipment
• Complete troubleshooting procedures on client hearing aids and auditory equipment through a hearing aid test box (where applicable), hearing aid stethoscope, client interview and/or case file review and send equipment for repair as required
• Assist with the development and/or implementation of program policies, work methods and procedures
• Participate in program meetings and in-services
• Participate in quality improvement initiatives by performing duties such as identifying areas requiring improvement and making recommendations to relevant personnel to ensure optimal services are provided
• Perform client intake functions including obtaining relevant documents, liaising with the other agencies regarding client eligibility and completing related documentation

Blood donor clinic assistants:

• Set up and take apart equipment
• Prepare and maintain cleanliness of collection areas
• Maintain supplies
• Record information on donors
• Monitor donors throughout procedure
• Help with post-donation care and donor reaction care as assigned under supervision of a registered nurse
• Label and process donated blood

Health unit aides:

• Support population and public health (PPH) as a biological product monitor (BPM) following provincial guidelines, responsible for ordering, receiving and storing all biological products, auditing inventories and tracking exposure history for every exposed product
• In collaboration with local site leadership, ensure twice-daily monitoring of refrigerator and freezer internal temperature and arrange service calls and maintenance
• Maintain documentation at the office level to support storage conditions for vaccines that are returned to the British Columbia Centre for Disease Control (BCCDC) for redistribution
• Maintain physical and digital inventories of clinical, biological and pharmaceutical supplies, equipment, and client education materials at the health unit and other public health service delivery locations
• Prepare and distribute clinic supplies for daily use via stocking clinic rooms with supplies for each public health program, preparing supplies for off-site and outreach activities, maintaining supply of client education materials in waiting rooms and clinic rooms, ensuring client information boards are up to date and maintaining general order and tidiness of the public and clinical spaces
• Fill vaccine orders and answer or redirect inquiries from internal and external partners
• Support investigation and resolution of cold chain Incidents (CCI) for all publicly funded vaccines supplied to internal and external partners
• Maintain compliance with current Transportation of Dangerous Goods (TDG) requirements
• Package, arrange pickup and delivery of, and transport biohazardous items such as sputum, stool and other specimens as required
• Collaborate with interdisciplinary teams to support clinics by performing duties such as forecasting, advanced planning and maintaining biological and other related supplies
• Collaborate with interdisciplinary team to support hearing and vision screening in various locations, record results of screening and make referrals as per protocols
• Support Sexual Health and Blood Borne Infection Clinics and Youth Clinics, on and off Health Unit sites through stocking clinical rooms, packaging and transporting specimens, packaging and transporting equipment for reprocessing, and other duties as required

Health care assistants:

• Provide personal care to patients such as assisting patients with toileting, bathing, skin and hair care, oral hygiene, grooming, dressing, changing beds, patient positioning and mobilization
• Observe and reports patient progress including anticipated/unanticipated patient responses to care, patient discomfort and/or pain, skin breakdowns and unusual incidents and/or accidents to the designated nurse
• Assist patients with meals by completing menu slips, checking meals to ensure the maintenance of dietary restrictions, serving and collecting meal trays and feeding designated patients
• Measure temperature, pulse, respiration, blood pressure and weight and obtains non-sterile specimens such as urine and stool and report findings to the designated nurse
• Set up and use patient charts for activities of daily living and other observations in accordance with established procedures
• Transport patients using mechanical aids such as wheelchairs, lifts and stretchers
• Assist in the admission, discharge and transfer of patients including the transfer/care of clothing and personal belongings
• Perform a variety of related general duties such as answering phones, maintaining storage areas, ordering supplies through stores, transporting specimens, maintaining and locating inventory of equipment, cleaning and caring for equipment such as commodes/bed pans and maintaining tidy patient rooms and patient care areas

Medical device reprocessing technicians:

• Receive, sort, disassemble, decontaminate, clean, assemble, wrap, sterilize and store instruments, equipment and hospital supplies
• Prepare equipment, instruments and supplies for storage and distribution by checking, testing, calibrating, assembling, packaging, wrapping and sterilizing according to established procedures
• Operate departmental equipment such as automated washers, cart washers, pasteurizers, ultrasonic washers, heat sealers and sterilizers
• Report and/or remove any malfunctioning equipment or instruments
• Issue and/or deliver supplies when requested
• Maintain departmental supply inventory according to established procedures
• Rotate stock and reprocess outdated supplies according to established procedures
• Participate in cleaning, checking, testing and other routine maintenance of equipment and storage areas
• Perform clerical duties such as assisting with recording of workload statistics on supplies and equipment dispatched from the department, answering the telephone, completing maintenance requisitions for signature, maintaining records, filing and typing

Morgue coordinators:

• Lead the planning and design of morgue processes, standards and procedures in collaboration with internal stakeholders (e.g. shared work team, site leaders, and PACT managers)
• Oversee and facilitate the implementation of regional morgue processes by ensuring objectives are met and deliverables are on target
• Optimize and improve morgue processes related to capacity and congestion by developing formal mechanisms to resolve capacity overflow, monitoring regional morgue census report, facilitating expired patient placements, following up on all expired patients in morgues greater than seven days with local leaders, and maintaining contingency plan for overcapacity and emergency
• Serve as the primary liaison with the Coroners Service to assign sites for coroner's cases
• Develop costing and draft proposals for upgrades to existing morgues as well as, design recommendations for proposals on morgue renovations and new facilities (e.g. hospital redevelopments)
• Lead and facilitate regional morgue committee meetings by establishing agendas, documenting action items for communication to sites and following up with work/action items
• Provide leadership in quality improvement by identifying and addressing current capacity/equipment/facilities issues in consultation with the regional committee members 
• Coordinate or conduct audits related to morgue processes
• Provide input and leadership on the morgue information management activities
• Collaborate with stakeholders and conduct service needs assessments and evaluation in consultation with regional committee members
• Collaborates with stakeholders and analysts to conduct service needs assessments, generate reports, set key metrics and performance standards for review and analysis and make recommendations based on data
• Act as a resource on regional morgue services by providing knowledge on logistics around mass casualty response, care of the deceased and the coordination of services between Health Emergency Management BC (HEMBC), coroners’ services, provincial laboratory services and funeral homes
• Develop and maintain appropriate documentation including action and decision logs
• Prepare reports, business cases, briefing notes and presentations related to equipment and renovation initiatives to senior leaders

Ophthalmic technicians:

• Perform static, kinetic and computerized visual field studies to map retinal scotoma by dilating the patient's eyes
• Perform macular function studies and amsler grid tests
• Perform tonometry, tonography, and provocative tests for glaucoma
• Perform distance, near and pinhole visual acuity tests and tests for colour blindness
• Neutralize lenses on a lensometer
• Conduct measurement of dark adaptation
• Provide pre- and post-operative care for laser therapy patients
• Perform fundus, fluorescein angiograms, and other ophthalmic photography, including preparing patients, taking photographs, and recording patient data
• Perform A and B ophthalmic ultrasound procedures and keratometer and potentiometry readings when required
• Arrange and confirm appointments for patients by telephone and letter
• File records and reports, making photocopies as necessary
• Completes daily charge vouchers to go to Accounts and other related tasks

Optical and ophthalmic laboratory technicians and assistants:

• Operate laboratory equipment to grind, cut, polish and edge lenses for eyeglasses according to prescriptions received and fit lenses into frames
• Make minor repairs for customers such as replacing frame screws or straightening frames
• Maintain and repair optical laboratory equipment or machinery

Orthopedic technologists:

• Help orthopedic surgeons in the treatment of orthopedic diseases and injuries by applying and adjusting casts, splints, bandages and other orthopedic devices
• Help with the application, maintenance and adjustment of traction equipment
• Clean and dress wounds
• Remove casts, sutures, staples and pins
• Teach patients and their families and other health-care professionals about orthopedic matters

Porters:

• Transport patients using mechanical aids such as wheelchairs and/or stretchers
• Ensure patient's needs are attended to while being transported
• Deals effectively with patients in distress by reporting unusual patient conditions to the appropriate staff according to established procedures
• Transport beds, equipment and materials as required and provide messenger service, as required
• Transport deceased patients from units to morgue and record necessary paperwork in accordance with established procedures
• Complete documentation such as the length of time to complete patient transport assignment and delays encountered as well as routine forms such as dispatch logs according to established procedures
• Clean equipment used in transport such as I.V. poles, stretchers and wheelchairs; change linen; report maintenance requirements and/or submit maintenance requests for patient transport equipment to appropriate staff/department

Recreation assistants:

• Plan, implement, monitor and evaluate recreation programs designed to meet the needs of residents of care facilities, including community outings, arts and crafts, word games, cooking, gardening, exercise, sports, discussions and pool programs
• Contact external agencies for program resources, as required 
• Assist with assessments by taking leisure histories, reviewing background information, and preparing leisure assessments for use in developing goals with residents to enhance their quality of life by maintaining and improving physical, cognitive, social, emotional and spiritual functioning
• Consult with family and nursing/medical staff to determine the activities based on residents’ needs
• Monitor, evaluate and document resident participation and progress
• Report observations, concerns and changes in residents’ condition and behaviours to appropriate team members
• Prepare a calendar of events and instruct participants in the techniques and any required adaptations to meets resident needs
• Lead individual or group activities, including organizing and setting up furnishing and equipment and teaching related skills
• Prepare for and accompany residents on community outings by performing such duties as ensuring that residents have appropriate clothing, necessary equipment and funds for activities
• Provide direction to designated volunteers during activity programs including demonstrating relevant techniques
• Attend and participate in team meetings and family care conferences to provide input and exchange information on matters related to resident needs, desires and response to care provided
• Oversee inventory of equipment, tools and materials and recommend purchase of same
• Participate in maintaining a safe environment for residents, families, volunteers and staff by following established emergency and safety practices and procedures

Recreation coordinators:

• Plan, implement, monitor, and evaluate recreation programs in healthcare settings that meet the needs of residents, such as community outings, arts and crafts, word games, cooking, gardening, exercise, sports, discussions and pool programs
• Prepare food items with residents by counting, weighing and/or measuring ingredients, mixing beverage and food items, assembling food items, and portioning and serving meals
• Prepare for and accompany residents on community outings by performing duties such as ensuring that residents have appropriate clothing, necessary equipment, and funds for activities
• Drive residents to and from outings
• Supervise up to four Activity Workers by scheduling and coordinating work assignments, determining training and orientation requirements, and providing performance feedback and information related to employee performance evaluation to a recreation therapist
• Schedule work assignments of and provide direction to volunteers, including training and orientation duties ensuring standardization of procedures
• Assist with assessment for admission to the facility by performing duties such as taking leisure histories, reviewing background information, and preparing leisure assessments for use in developing goals with residents to enhance their quality of life by maintaining and improving physical, cognitive, social, emotional, and spiritual functioning
• Exchange information during interdisciplinary committee meetings, team conferences, family meetings, and other resident-focused conferences on matters related to resident needs, desires and responses to care provided
• Report observations, concerns and changes in residents' conditions, abilities, and behaviours to appropriate team members
• Monitor equipment, tools, materials and supplies, check for safety of same, and report malfunctions and purchase requirements to the appropriate staff
• Maintain work area in an orderly condition, cleaning and putting away equipment in accordance with established procedures
• Perform clerical and reception functions, including answering the telephone, greeting visitors, and recording resident attendance records and workload information

Recreation therapist

• Use the philosophy and vision of the facility to plan, promote, organize, implement and evaluate a wide range of recreation and social programs designed to meet the needs of clients
• Conduct leisure assessments for new clients and reassesses appropriate programs
• Organize and direct programs ensuring space requirements, supply requirements and program staffing requirements
• Head programs as appropriate
• Provide direction to recreation programmers, students and volunteers
• Maintain and order recreation supplies for approval by management
• Participate in committee work as required
• Assist with staff/family/volunteer and client education as required
• Assist the program manager in the hiring and evaluation of staff and supervise recreation programmers

Rehabilitation assistants:

• Assist therapist in organizing, preparing and implementing therapeutic programs for assigned residents and patients
• Participate in resident/patient activities of daily living by demonstrating and assisting with self-care and meal management
• Assist with resident/patient mobility including provision of appropriate wheelchair seating by obtaining and adjusting equipment, strengthening exercises, walking programs and transfer to/from bed and chair
• Assist in fabrication of splints and adaptive devices as well as modification of patient clothing, self-care and eating utensils
• Report relevant observations concerning resident/patient progress and condition to other care team members
• Complete statistics and records program information as required
• Maintain an inventory of equipment, supplies and wheelchairs on loan to patients and notify senior therapist when inventory is low
• Keep work area clean and tidy

Sterile processing technicians:

• Operate and maintain machines such as instrument washers, sonic sinks, cart washers and steam autoclaves to clean and sterilize these supplies for re-use according to standardized safety
• Reassemble equipment and assemble packs of sterile supplies and instruments for delivery to hospital departments

Surgical service assistants:

• Provide confidential review of surgical patient waitlists for audit purposes by extracting and verifying system data, follows-up with physician offices to determine reasons for surgical delays
• Compile reports for physicians and staff and compose and edit correspondence regarding sensitive or confidential matters, ensuring appropriate follow-up
• Conduct site reviews determining office processes related to surgical booking
• Provide access, training and ongoing support to surgery information systems teams for assigned clinical applications related to electronic medical record (EMR) and other developing systems, including basic troubleshooting and response to questions/queries from end-users
• Initiate clinical user access for medical information systems
• Coordinate surgeon and booking office requirements
• Provide confidential administrative support for the Surgical Services Program by preparing and processing transactions associated with human resources and payroll transactions such as status changes, vacancy requests, leaves of absence, and more
• Maintain and audit invoices to verify timekeeping, various third party contracts and purchased services
• Compile and run financial reports for manager review, ensure invoices are authorized to predetermined amounts and analyze and report variances
• Provide support and assistance in the communication and implementation of regional operating room policies and procedures
• Respond to employee inquiries related to operating room procedures and represent the department/unit(s) in administrative matters as required
• Enter information into a variety of databases and spreadsheets
• Assist budget development by ensuring financial results information is compiled and made available to Directors/Managers and as appropriate
   

Earnings is income that workers receive in exchange for their labour. Depending on the type of employment, earnings can be in the form of wages (hourly), salaries (fixed monthly or annual) or self-employed earnings.