Apprentice Healthcare assistant Review
at NHS
Level 2 Apprenticeship
Healthcare
Norwich
Review Submitted: February 2022
Overall Rating
3.8 /5
The Overall Rating is the average of all the ratings given in each category. We take those individual ratings and combine them into one final score!
3.5/5
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Overview of Role
5/5
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Skills Development
3.6/5
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Structure and Support
Overview of Role
Please give an overview of your role and what this involves on a day-to-day basis:
4/5
I’m an apprentice HCA, so I provide care for patients to help assist with their daily needs such as washing, dressing, eating, mobilising, etc. I also monitor these patients by taking observations such as blood pressure, temperature, oxygen saturations and respiratory counts and recognise vital signs if a patient is unwell.
To what extent do you enjoy your programme?
3/5
I do really enjoy the work side of my apprenticeship programme. I like the college work too. I find it very interesting to take part in a job within the trust I want to progress my career in and by having the experience and also the college work knowledge behind it, I feel as though I have a wider knowledge now of what the job itself really is.
Skills Development
Have you learnt any new skills or developed existing skills?
5/5
I learned a lot of things in my apprenticeship. Even when washing a patient I learned the correct order to wash them in, how to keep their dignity and how to properly make them feel comfortable in my care. I also learned how to recognise if something isn’t quite right with their basic observations.
Structure and Support
How well organised/structured is your programme?
3/5
At the beginning of my apprenticeship I found it really hard to find the resources and where to go for help because it was so new to me. However the people around me were so helpful and never made me feel alone. They pointed me in the right direction. So although from the outside it seems confusing, once you get to grips with things you see how well structured and safe this programme actually is.
How much support do you receive from your employer?
4/5
I receive a lot of support from my employer. We have regular meetings to discuss my progress and to also see if I need any additional support. I find this very useful because sometimes I’m too shy to bring up a concern if I have one so these meetings help me to talk without feeling embarrassed.
How much support do you receive from your training provider when working towards your qualifications?
4/5
I receive a lot of support from my training provider. Like with my employer, we have regular meetings to help me if I have any struggles. There is plenty of extra training available if you wanted to widen your knowledge in the healthcare field. They’re very good in giving me the time extra time I need if I feel behind on my work.
How well do you feel that your qualification (through your training provider) helps you to perform better in your role?
4/5
I feel as though it helps me to perform better in my role because it helps to clarify even the smallest of things which I may not have even thought of such as putting a towel on a patient to provide dignity. It makes me learn new things everyday so that I can provide the best care possible for my patients.
Are there extra-curricular activities to get involved in at your work? (For example, any social activities, sports teams, or even professional networking events.)
3/5
There are not any extra curricular activities to my understanding or what I’m aware of however there are plenty of opportunities to get extra training to widen your knowledge if there’s something that you struggle with. This isn’t just for apprentices this is for full time staff too.
Recommendations & Advice
Would you recommend NHS to a friend?
Yes
Why?
Because the NHS helped me to get the knowledge and qualifications I need in order to progress to my career choice. It helps me to get my degree my working my way up in the trust even my starting at the very bottom. They support me really well and treat all apprentices as individuals. All staff are so supportive and kind too.
What tips or advice would you give to others applying to NHS?
If you are under the age of 18 I would recommend you really do research as to what the apprenticeship is and the hours you have to work against the hours of study you have to do too. I was only 16 when I started my apprenticeship and I really struggled to work 37.5 hours a week and do a LOT of college work and studying on the side. Due to my age I couldn’t work 12 hour shifts so I ended up working more days of the week and I struggled to have the motivation to do my college work too. So ensure you’re absolutely certain you want to do this before you apply! :)
