WORK EXPERIENCE: Health Care Assistant on Surgical Outpatients????

[croman]

Hey all,

So im applying for a job as a HCA on Surgical Outpatients ward. The problem is there is no information in the job description. has anyone been a HCA on Surgical Outpatients or rotated through there during bank work.

What can i expect?

[snakefisch]

Surgical outpatients? Is that like day surgery?

[Lotty6]

I am assuming Surgical Outpatients is where they conduct pre and post op consultations. I can imagine you may be undertaking duties such as ob taking, maybe venapuncture (duties may vary between trust), taking, testing and sending of samples such as MRSA swabs, urine etc, some organization of patient notes. Hope this helps x

[Lotty6]

Croman, Are you by any chance applying to Lancashire Teaching Hospitals? If so they are very good for teaching and guiding... it's all great experience. x

[croman]

This is all the job description says: "To assist qualified staff to meet individual patient’s needs and maintain a healthy clinic environment.
Following training able to independently record patients vision.
Following training assist the Doctor in the consulting room which may involve some minor invasive procedures."

i guess it sounds quite cool... *the last bit anyway*

Croman, Are you by any chance applying to Lancashire Teaching Hospitals? If so they are very good for teaching and guiding... it's all great experience. x

Yeah i am, At least that's exciting, I really hope i get it now. I assume you're a HCA in Wigan Lotty?

[Lotty6]

I used to work at both Chorley and Preston on the bank for 5years whilst at college and during my first degree. I work in Bolton now though have experience on the bank at North Manchester General... I wouldn't work in my home town hospital- too many familiar faces.
Chorley is a lovely hospital very friendly, though I prefer where I am now.
What type of work have you done previously? Where and when are you applying for medicine? x

[croman]

Wow that's amazing. You've got lots of experience then. Have you managed to get trained in some interesting procedures then?

Unfortunately i have no experience, i only just decided recently that i was going to apply for medicine (im on a masters at the moment) i figured if im going to apply for 2013 i better get a lot and fast. HCA seems like great exposure.
I really don't want to do the gamsat (although i do like the luck of nottingham) so im thinking of applying to UKCAT uni's warwick, barts, newcastle and the likes. If i dont get in i will just apply next year and do the gamsat.
Where are you thinking of applying?

[Lotty6]

I have seen and experienced some pretty interesting things, ICU very interesting from a medical perspective but prefer the exposure I get in A&E. I'm sitting the GAMSAT in Sept and applying to Nottingham, Swansea and St Georges. Being a HCA is fantastic, your clinical experience does depend on departmental requirements and the trust you work for.
Last year I took a break from studying and lectured for about 9months then decided that my heart was in medicine, so started my MSc which is 2years part time (just half way through my first year).
The patient and communication experience you will gain from the job is invaluable. I'm so glad that I have done it... though to getting to do what I'm doing/will be doing now such as dressings, venapuncture, ECGs, cannulation, back slabbing etc has taken time but they are skills which will help me in the future. I think/hope you will feel the same.
When will you hear about the job? x

[croman]

When will you hear about the job?

well the job only went up today so it will probably take a while. Im just in the process of applying, Currently editing the 'Supporting information' section. Is there anything you recommend putting it? key words/ phrases?
Thanks!

[croman]

oooh and what are you studying your MSc in? neuroscience? (im just doing MSc Biomedicine)