Ear Irrigation for Health Care Assistants
£360.00
Do you work in the Yorkshire & Humber SHA region?
If yes, part funding may be available. Please ring 01274 617617 to check availability.
There are currently no scheduled dates for this course, but please register your interest to be notified about future dates.
Please fill in the following form to be notified when dates for this course are announced. Required fields are marked with *
The course consists of two workshop days followed by three months of self-directed study under the supervision of a mentor. Each student will receive a pre-learning pack prior to the course.
| Duration | Two days |
|---|
Health Care Assistant
The role of the Health Care Assistant in Primary Care may involve providing basic ear care, including irrigation. This course is designed to ensure that those HCAs who are expected to irrigate are able to do so confidently and safely.
The HCA is required to attend day 1 with a mentor, who will receive a certificate of attendance.
HCAs can only perform ear irrigation providing the following criteria are met. The patient:
- is over 16 years old
- has been seen by a GP or Practice Nurse first, who have assessed it safe to delegate the procedure to the HCA – having determined that the patient:-
- has no contraindications to the procedure
- has had the procedure performed before with no ill effect.
Only after all these criteria have been met and documented can the procedure be delegated to the HCA ( providing the HCA has successfully completed the 1000 word case study, written paper, competency book and oral test).
On successful completion of the course, the Practice will be required to review and update the current Ear Irrigation Protocol, inform the Practice Insurers that the HCA has an extended role and issue the HCA with an updated job description.
- An understanding of the basic anatomy and physiology of the ear
- An understanding of basic ear care
- A foundation of knowledge on which to base practical ear irrigation
- A foundation knowledge of otoscopy
- Accountability and documentation
- Anatomy and physiology of the outer, middle and inner ear
- Otoscopy
- Ear wax
- Ear drops
- Cholesteatoma
- Perforations
- Consent and documentation
- Contraindications to ear irrigation
- Decontamination of equipment
- Ear irrigation procedure
- Accountability
- Hearing aids
- Types of deafness
- Tinnitus
- Role of the mentor
Assessment is by written exam on day 2, together with submission of a 1,000 word case study and competency book three months after the course.
