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The Course prepares and qualifies for the profession of health care assistant: an operator in the field of prevention, promotion and health education, who is mainly concerned with identifying health needs and priorities for educational/preventive/rehabilitative intervention aimed at the individual, the family and the community. The course includes both theoretical and practical activities (professional training) in healthcare companies and other public and private workplaces.

The course offers 1500 hours of guided practical training in public and private health and social care facilities.

Territorial and Hospital Health Authorities, Outpatient Clinics, Family Advice Bureaus, Health Education and Promotion Centres, Training Departments, Health Care Quality and Evaluation Offices, Public Relations Offices, Forensic Medicine, Genetic Counselling Services, IRCCS, Universities, INAIL, INPS, USMAF, Private Health and Social-Health Facilities, Cooperatives, Professional Studies, Service Companies, Consultancy Centres, Training Schools, Health Insurances.

The course trains healthcare assistants who:

• have knowledge and skills to carry out prevention, promotion and health education activities through the use of specific methods, techniques and tools
• know the basic principles of epidemiological methodology
• they identify health potentials and risk factors for the individual, the family and the community on the basis of epidemiological and socio-cultural data
• implement preventive, educational and remedial interventions to solve the highlighted problems
.
• design, plan, implement and evaluate health education interventions at all stages of a person's life
.
• define programmes and campaigns for health promotion and education
• they make decisions consistent with the legal, ethical and deontological dimensions governing health care organisation and professional responsibility
• are able to converse and present their scientific and cultural knowledge correctly and to relate in the professional environment
• are able to establish and maintain helping relationships with the person, his/her family, the social context applying the fundamentals of relational dynamics
• are able to interact and collaborate actively with interprofessional teams
.

Department of Health Sciences
Via Pastore, 1
16132 Genoa

1) What job does a graduate in Health Care Assistants do?
. Health care assistants are health workers in prevention, health promotion and education, according to the specific profile identified by Ministry of Health Decree No. 69 of 17 January 1997. The activity of the Health Assistant is aimed at the person, the family and the community by identifying health needs and priorities for preventive, educational and rehabilitation intervention. The health care assistant is not concerned with curing or rehabilitating a sick person: his or her mission is to maintain the state of health of the person as a whole. Specifically, he/she carries out his/her activities in the field of: 1) prevention of infectious and chronic degenerative diseases; 2) prevention of accidents and occupational diseases; 3) protection of maternal, child and family health. It also participates in health promotion activities in schools and collaborates in the organisation and operation of health and social services, acting as a network operator for hospital-territory integration.

2) What does a graduate in health care not do?
A graduate in health care does not perform direct personal nursing care.

3) What are the motivations of those who choose to study for a degree in health care?
. Those who choose to graduate in Health Care should pursue the approach of the holistic well-being of the individual integrated into the community (One Health approach). This approach aims to ensure the best level of health for individuals and the community, while also considering environmental protection and animal health.

4) Where can I find a job with a degree in Healthcare Assisting?
Health care assistants can exercise their profession, performing their duties independently, in facilities of the National Health Service, in private companies or institutes and foundations, as employees and/or freelancers. In particular, they can be employed in the general and health management staff of hospitals, in public relations offices, in prevention and protection services, in hospital hygiene services, in company and regional epidemiological services, in quality services, in e-health and digital health sectors for prevention and health promotion, in prevention departments, in complex structures/services of the socio-health district and in those oriented towards integrated socio-health activities for the elderly and disabled in paediatric and adult age. In addition, healthcare assistants may practise their profession, together with general practitioners and/or freely chosen paediatricians, in territorial psychiatric services, family counselling centres, addiction services, community paediatrics, diabetes services, medical genetics services, occupational medicine and services dedicated to the competent and authorised doctor, in Maritime, Air and Border Health Offices (USMAF) and in immigration centres. Finally, they are employed in nursing homes, nursing homes (RSAs), the regional offices of the National Centre for Disease Prevention and Control, prison health and universities (teaching and research).


The medical profession is also a key part of the work of the National Centre for Disease Prevention and Control.  
5) With what types of users does a graduate in health care work?
The Health Care graduate works primarily with people (at all stages of life) and workers in prevention, promotion and health education activities.
 
6) In which public institutions can a graduate in Health Care work?
A graduate in Health Care can work in many public bodies: Ministry of Health, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Regional Health Agencies, Local Health Authorities (Aziende Socio Sanitarie Locali - ASSL), Hospital Authorities, National Institute for Insurance against Accidents at Work (INAIL ), IRCCS (Institutes for Hospitalization and Scientific Care), in Universities.

 
7) What outlets does a graduate in Health Care have in the private sector?
A graduate in healthcare can work as an employee in private healthcare institutions, RSAs, private specialist clinics, pharmacies and parapharmacies. In addition, he/she can work as a freelance professional advising educational institutions on health education and in private medical practices.
 
8) Which further studies can a graduate in health care have access to?
A graduate in Health Care can gain access to first-level Master's degrees and can continue their studies with a Master's degree (LM/SNT4). After obtaining a Master's Degree, he/she may enter second-level Master's programmes and PhD programmes.

 
9) How many chances does a graduate in health care have of finding a job?
. The latest Alma Laurea report (3 September 2021) confirms that the employment rate in Italy for a graduate in healthcare one year after graduation is approximately 80%.
 
10) What career opportunities does a graduate in healthcare have?
A graduate in Health Care can hold Coordination, Organisational and Professional positions. He/she can also hold managerial positions (of Simple Structure, Complex Structure, Social-Health Management).

Department of Health Sciences

• DISSAL teaching support: didatticaDissal@unige.it

Student Services Department for the School of Medical and Pharmaceutical Sciences

• Studenti.medfar@unige.it

Internship Coordinator

• Dr Anna Onesti. anna.onesti@ext.unige.it