A Winning Attitude is Key to Success for Health Care Aides

Health Care Aide (HCA) candidates need a winning attitude to successfully be in one of the most important positions in the workforce. They bring a necessary service to some of society’s most vulnerable citizens, providing not only practical assistance, but also the ability to emotionally connect and positively impact someone’s day at every turn.

This is why, according to HR professionals in the industry, the right attitude is just as important as the proper training and technical knowledge. 

This article will discuss the following topics:

• What does a health care aide do?
• How vital is a winning attitude in health care?
• Unhappy in the workplace: Questions to ask yourself

What Does A Health Care Aide Do?

 It is, of course, necessary for HCAs to possess a comprehensive understanding of the challenges and demands of the profession. Without this expertise, it is impossible to do the job in a thorough and responsible manner. 

HCAs provide essential support in the day-to-day living of their clients. They help with feeding, bathing, grooming, dressing, toileting and other responsibilities regarding personal hygiene. Other responsibilities may also include mobility and exercise, and in many cases HCAs will be tasked to report client observations and concerns to nurses and other health care professionals. 

HCAs work in hospitals, continuing care centres, in a client’s home, mental health facilities and institutions that provide guidance to other HCAs and students.  

How Vital Is A Winning Attitude In Health Care?

Spiritual author Wayne Dyer once said, “Change the way you look at things, and the things you look at change.” In a similar way, a positive attitude towards your work, colleagues and patients or clients can affect how well you perform and how others receive your work. For a profession that aims to service others, a high-performing HCA carries a winning attitude to affect positive change in their clients’ care. 

The probability for mistakes, on the other hand, increases with the opposite — a bad mood. Positive and negative energies are transferable, and at times, infectious. Think back to a time when you knew somebody didn’t like you, even without them telling you. Coming to work with negative emotions does not only affect you but others around you, including patients who are directly under your care.

Unhappy In The Workplace: Questions To Ask Yourself

If you or somebody you know is no longer happy coming to work or school, it may be best to reflect and ask yourself some questions:

• Are you facing any serious conflicts with anybody in the workplace?
• Are you experiencing a burn-out due to emotional, physical and mental exhaustion?
• Is the workload too much or too stressful for you to handle?
• Did an instructor, classmate, colleague or patient say something that is concerning or bothersome?
• Are you dealing with a personal issue that is not related to work or school?

Take time to tackle the root of your problems, and do what is necessary to move forward. If working in high pressure environments such as hospitals and similar facilities is too much to handle, you may want to consider transitioning to home care. If you are someone who is still interested in attending a Health Care Aide Program, there are many more remarkable ways this profession will not only change your life, but change other’s lives as well. 

Last Updated: April 2021