Health Sciences and Social Services Curative Health

Home Based Care Support Skills For Healthcare Workers Training

SAQA US 117004 | NQF 3 | Credits 16 | Duration 13 Days
From $2,349 per delegate

Description

This course equips healthcare workers with the essential skills to provide holistic home-based care support to individuals, families, and communities. It focuses on practical caregiving, communication, infection control, and ethical considerations within the South African healthcare context. Learners will gain the competence to deliver safe, compassionate, and effective care in home settings.

Learning Outcomes

  • Apply principles of infection prevention and control in a home-based care setting.
  • Demonstrate effective communication skills when interacting with patients, families, and healthcare team members.
  • Analyze the physical, emotional, and social needs of patients requiring home-based care.
  • Implement basic nursing care procedures, including wound care, medication administration, and vital sign monitoring.
  • Evaluate the safety and suitability of the home environment for patient care.
  • Demonstrate ethical and legal conduct in accordance with South African healthcare regulations.

Target Audience

This course is designed for healthcare workers, including community health workers, nursing assistants, and caregivers who provide or intend to provide home-based care services. It is also suitable for volunteers and family members seeking formal training in home care support.

Prerequisites

None — open enrollment. However, learners must be able to read, write, and communicate in English at a basic level.

Course Outline

Day 1: Introduction to Home Based Care

Objectives:
• Understand the principles and scope of home based care
• Identify the roles and responsibilities of a home based care worker
• Recognize the ethical and legal framework guiding home based care
• Discuss the importance of cultural sensitivity and patient-centered care

Topics:
• Definition and philosophy of home based care
• Overview of the South African healthcare system
• Ethical considerations and patient confidentiality
• Legal aspects: scope of practice and liability
• The home based care team: roles and communication
• Cultural competence in diverse communities
• Introduction to the care plan and documentation

Day 2: Infection Prevention and Control

Objectives:
• Explain standard precautions and transmission-based precautions
• Demonstrate correct hand hygiene and use of personal protective equipment (PPE)
• Identify common infections in home care settings
• Apply waste management principles in the home environment

Topics:
• Chain of infection and breaking transmission
• Hand hygiene techniques (WHO 5 moments)
• Types of PPE and correct usage
• Safe handling and disposal of sharps and clinical waste
• Cleaning and disinfection of the home environment
• Prevention of catheter-associated infections and wound infections
• Managing exposure incidents: needlestick injuries

Day 3: Basic Patient Assessment and Vital Signs

Objectives:
• Measure and interpret vital signs accurately
• Conduct a basic physical assessment of the patient
• Recognize abnormal findings and report accordingly
• Document vital signs and observations correctly

Topics:
• Temperature, pulse, respiration, and blood pressure measurement
• Oxygen saturation and pain assessment
• Normal ranges and common variations
• Head-to-toe assessment basics
• Skin assessment for pressure sores and rashes
• Recognizing signs of deterioration
• Documentation: charts and reporting

Day 4: Personal Care and Hygiene Support

Objectives:
• Assist patients with activities of daily living (ADLs) safely
• Provide oral, skin, and perineal care
• Prevent pressure ulcers through proper positioning and care
• Support patients with elimination needs

Topics:
• Bathing and bed bath techniques
• Oral care for dependent patients
• Pressure ulcer prevention: turning, repositioning, and support surfaces
• Incontinence care and catheter care
• Assisting with toileting and commodes
• Dressing and grooming assistance
• Maintaining patient dignity and independence

Day 5: Nutrition and Hydration Support

Objectives:
• Assess nutritional status and hydration needs
• Plan and prepare appropriate meals for patients with special dietary requirements
• Assist with feeding and monitor intake
• Identify signs of malnutrition and dehydration

Topics:
• Basic nutrition principles and dietary guidelines
• Special diets: diabetic, low-salt, soft, pureed
• Modified consistency foods for dysphagia
• Fluid balance monitoring and intake-output charts
• Feeding techniques for dependent patients
• Enteral feeding (nasogastric tube) overview
• Cultural and religious dietary considerations

Day 6: Medication Management and Administration

Objectives:
• Describe the roles of healthcare workers in medication management
• Administer oral, topical, and inhaled medications safely
• Recognize common medication errors and adverse reactions
• Educate patients and families on medication adherence

Topics:
• Medication routes and abbreviations
• The 6 rights of medication administration
• Oral medication administration techniques
• Topical applications and inhalers
• Storage and disposal of medications
• Monitoring for side effects and interactions
• Documentation and reporting of medication administration

Day 7: Wound Care and Basic First Aid

Objectives:
• Assess and classify wounds
• Perform wound cleaning and dressing changes
• Identify signs of infection and complications
• Apply basic first aid for common emergencies

Topics:
• Wound healing process and types of wounds
• Aseptic technique for wound care
• Types of dressings and their indications
• Pressure ulcer staging and care
• First aid for cuts, burns, falls, and choking
• Managing bleeding and shock
• When to refer to a higher level of care

Day 8: Palliative and End-of-Life Care

Objectives:
• Understand the principles of palliative care
• Manage pain and other symptoms in terminally ill patients
• Provide psychosocial and spiritual support to patients and families
• Support the patient's family through the dying process and bereavement

Topics:
• Palliative care philosophy and goals
• Pain assessment and non-pharmacological pain relief
• Symptom management: nausea, dyspnea, constipation
• Communication with dying patients
• Advance care planning and living wills
• Care of the body after death
• Grief and bereavement support

Day 9: Chronic Disease Management – HIV, TB, Diabetes, Hypertension

Objectives:
• Describe the pathophysiology and management of common chronic diseases
• Support adherence to treatment regimens
• Monitor for complications and side effects
• Educate patients on self-management and lifestyle modifications

Topics:
• HIV/AIDS: antiretroviral therapy, opportunistic infections, adherence
• Tuberculosis: infection control, directly observed therapy (DOT), side effects
• Diabetes: blood glucose monitoring, insulin administration, hypoglycemia management
• Hypertension: medication compliance, diet, and exercise
• Chronic disease self-management education
• Recognizing red flags and when to refer

Day 10: Maternal, Child, and Neonatal Care

Objectives:
• Provide postnatal care for mothers and newborns
• Support breastfeeding and infant feeding
• Identify danger signs in postpartum women and neonates
• Promote child health and immunization

Topics:
• Postnatal care: perineal care, uterine involution, lochia assessment
• Newborn care: cord care, bathing, temperature regulation
• Breastfeeding positioning and common challenges
• Infant feeding options and formula preparation
• Growth monitoring and immunization schedule
• Recognition of postpartum depression
• Danger signs in mother and baby requiring referral

Day 11: Mental Health and Psychosocial Support

Objectives:
• Recognize common mental health conditions in home care
• Provide basic psychosocial support and active listening
• Identify signs of depression, anxiety, and substance abuse
• Implement self-care strategies to prevent burnout

Topics:
• Common mental health disorders: depression, anxiety, dementia
• Communication skills: active listening, empathy, validation
• Psychosocial support for patients and families
• Substance abuse identification and harm reduction
• Stress management and resilience building
• Referral pathways for mental health services
• Self-care for the home care worker

Day 12: Care Planning, Documentation, and Team Collaboration

Objectives:
• Develop and update individualized care plans
• Maintain accurate and confidential patient records
• Communicate effectively with the multidisciplinary team
• Participate in case discussions and handovers

Topics:
• Components of a care plan: goals, interventions, evaluations
• Daily care notes and incident reporting
• SBAR (Situation, Background, Assessment, Recommendation) communication
• Multidisciplinary team roles: social workers, physiotherapists, nurses
• Handover techniques and shift reporting
• Confidentiality and data protection
• Quality improvement and audit in home care

Day 13: Practical Integration, Assessment, and Certification

Objectives:
• Demonstrate competence in a simulated home care scenario
• Integrate all skills learned throughout the course
• Complete a final assessment covering theory and practice
• Reflect on professional development and future learning

Topics:
• Comprehensive simulation: patient assessment, care planning, and intervention
• Practical stations: vital signs, wound care, medication administration, personal care
• Written examination covering key concepts
• Feedback and remediation
• Certification requirements and portfolio of evidence
• Career pathways and continuing professional development
• Course evaluation and closing

Practicals

No practicals for this training.

This course is made up of exercises and case studies delivered alongside the theory — no separate practical sessions are required to complete it.

Summatives

Each delegate is assessed continuously throughout the course and a final summative test at the end.

Daily Exercises — 30%

Every training day ends with a multiple-choice exercise scored out of 100%. The scores from each daily exercise are averaged across the duration of the course to produce a Daily Average mark, which contributes 30% to the final total.

Final Test — 70%

On the last day a final summative test is written. It is a multiple-choice paper with multiple-answer questions: each question may have more than one correct option, and a single wrong selection on a question marks the entire question wrong — no partial credit. The final test is scored out of 100% and contributes 70% to the overall mark.

Final Total
Component Out of Weight
Daily Average (multiple choice) 100% 30%
Final Test (multi-answer multiple choice) 100% 70%
Final Total 100%

All marks are recorded on the AATICD LMS and visible to each learner under their account.

Certificate

Certificate of Completion

Awarded to delegates who achieve an overall mark of 50% or higher on the Final Total (Daily Average 30% + Final Test 70%).

How it works
  • Certificates are auto-generated on the AATICD LMS as soon as the marks pass the 50% threshold.
  • Each certificate is a branded PDF with the delegate's name, the course title, the unit standard ID, NQF level, credits, and the date of issue.
  • You can download or print your certificate from your LMS dashboard at any time after issue — there's no reissue fee and no expiry date.
  • If you scored under 50% you can sit the final test again at the next scheduled session at no extra cost.
Where to find it

Sign in to the LMS, open your dashboard, and your certificates appear under My Certificates. Each entry has a View / Download button and a print option.

Training Discounts

Group discounts apply automatically — the more delegates you enrol, the greater the saving. Discounts are calculated at 3% per 5 delegates, scaling up to 40% off for 100+ delegates.

Delegates Discount
5 3% off
10 6% off
15 9% off
20 12% off
25 15% off
30 18% off
50 30% off
75 35% off
100 40% off

3% discount per 5 delegates, up to 40% off for 100+ delegates. Contact us for a custom group quote.

Upcoming Training Sessions
Online training — attend live sessions from anywhere via our virtual classroom.
Start End Delivery Season Price Action
Fri 11 Sep 2026 Tue 29 Sep 2026 Virtual Spring 2026 $2,349 Register
Thu 01 Oct 2026 Mon 19 Oct 2026 Virtual Spring 2026 $2,349 Register
Wed 21 Oct 2026 Fri 06 Nov 2026 Virtual Spring 2026 $2,349 Register
Wed 09 Dec 2026 Fri 25 Dec 2026 Virtual Summer 2026 $2,349 Register
Tue 12 Jan 2027 Thu 28 Jan 2027 Virtual Summer 2026 $2,349 Register
Mon 15 Feb 2027 Wed 03 Mar 2027 Virtual Summer 2026 $2,349 Register
Fri 05 Mar 2027 Tue 23 Mar 2027 Virtual Autumn 2027 $2,349 Register
Thu 11 Mar 2027 Mon 29 Mar 2027 Virtual Autumn 2027 $2,349 Register
Wed 17 Mar 2027 Fri 02 Apr 2027 Virtual Autumn 2027 $2,349 Register
Tue 08 Jun 2027 Thu 24 Jun 2027 Virtual Winter 2027 $2,349 Register
Mon 28 Jun 2027 Wed 14 Jul 2027 Virtual Winter 2027 $2,349 Register
Fri 23 Jul 2027 Tue 10 Aug 2027 Virtual Winter 2027 $2,349 Register
Thu 09 Sep 2027 Mon 27 Sep 2027 Virtual Spring 2027 $2,349 Register
Wed 29 Sep 2027 Fri 15 Oct 2027 Virtual Spring 2027 $2,349 Register
Tue 19 Oct 2027 Thu 04 Nov 2027 Virtual Spring 2027 $2,349 Register
Wed 08 Dec 2027 Fri 24 Dec 2027 Virtual Summer 2027 $2,349 Register
Tue 28 Dec 2027 Thu 13 Jan 2028 Virtual Summer 2027 $2,349 Register
Mon 17 Jan 2028 Wed 02 Feb 2028 Virtual Summer 2027 $2,349 Register
On-Campus training — face-to-face sessions at our training venues across Africa and beyond.
Showing all 522 sessions across 26 venues
Start End Venue Season Price Action
Mon 06 Jul 2026 Wed 22 Jul 2026 Kigali, Rwanda Winter 2026 $6,572 Register
Tue 07 Jul 2026 Thu 23 Jul 2026 Kinshasa, DRC Winter 2026 $6,572 Register
Wed 08 Jul 2026 Fri 24 Jul 2026 Kampala, Uganda Winter 2026 $6,572 Register
Wed 08 Jul 2026 Fri 24 Jul 2026 Mbabane, Eswatini Winter 2026 $5,654 Register
Thu 09 Jul 2026 Mon 27 Jul 2026 Mombasa, Kenya Winter 2026 $6,572 Register
In-House training — we bring the trainer to your organisation, tailored to your team.
Start End Delivery Season Price Action
Mon 14 Sep 2026 Wed 30 Sep 2026 Your Premises Spring 2026 $3,056 Register
Fri 09 Oct 2026 Tue 27 Oct 2026 Your Premises Spring 2026 $3,056 Register
Thu 29 Oct 2026 Mon 16 Nov 2026 Your Premises Spring 2026 $3,056 Register
Thu 17 Dec 2026 Mon 04 Jan 2027 Your Premises Summer 2026 $3,056 Register
Wed 20 Jan 2027 Fri 05 Feb 2027 Your Premises Summer 2026 $3,056 Register
Tue 23 Feb 2027 Thu 11 Mar 2027 Your Premises Summer 2026 $3,056 Register
Mon 08 Mar 2027 Wed 24 Mar 2027 Your Premises Autumn 2027 $3,056 Register
Fri 19 Mar 2027 Tue 06 Apr 2027 Your Premises Autumn 2027 $3,056 Register
Thu 25 Mar 2027 Mon 12 Apr 2027 Your Premises Autumn 2027 $3,056 Register
Wed 16 Jun 2027 Fri 02 Jul 2027 Your Premises Winter 2027 $3,056 Register
Tue 06 Jul 2027 Thu 22 Jul 2027 Your Premises Winter 2027 $3,056 Register
Mon 26 Jul 2027 Wed 11 Aug 2027 Your Premises Winter 2027 $3,056 Register
Fri 17 Sep 2027 Tue 05 Oct 2027 Your Premises Spring 2027 $3,056 Register
Thu 07 Oct 2027 Mon 25 Oct 2027 Your Premises Spring 2027 $3,056 Register
Wed 27 Oct 2027 Fri 12 Nov 2027 Your Premises Spring 2027 $3,056 Register
Thu 16 Dec 2027 Mon 03 Jan 2028 Your Premises Summer 2027 $3,056 Register
Wed 05 Jan 2028 Fri 21 Jan 2028 Your Premises Summer 2027 $3,056 Register
Tue 25 Jan 2028 Thu 10 Feb 2028 Your Premises Summer 2027 $3,056 Register
Training Discounts
Delegates Discount
5 3% off
10 6% off
15 9% off
20 12% off
25 15% off
30 18% off
50 30% off
75 35% off
100 40% off

3% off per 5 delegates, up to 40% for 100+

View Sessions & Register Get A Quote Download Course Brochure
Have an account?

Sign in to track your applications and manage your cart.

Related Courses

Other Health Sciences and Social Services courses at NQF level 3 learners on this page also viewed.

Browse the full Health Sciences and Social Services category for health sciences and social services training programmes.
GET A QUOTE / APPLY COURSE CATALOGUE