The Course prepares and qualifies for the profession of health care assistant: a health prevention, promotion and education worker, who is primarily concerned with identifying health needs and priorities for educational/preventive/recovery intervention aimed at the individual, family and community. The Course includes both theoretical and practical activities (professionalizing internship) at health care companies and other public and private workplaces.

The course offers 1,500 hours of guided internships in public and private health and socio-health facilities.

Territorial and Hospital Health Agencies, Outpatient Clinics, Family Counseling Centers, Health Education and Promotion Centers, Training Departments, Health Performance Quality and Evaluation Offices, Public Relations Offices, Forensic Medicine, Genetic Counseling Services, IRCCSs, Universities, INAIL, INPS, USMAF, Private Health and Social-Health Facilities, Cooperatives, Professional Studies, Service Companies, Counseling Centers, Training Schools, Health Insurers.

The Course trains Health Care Assistants who:

• have knowledge and skills to carry out prevention, promotion and education activities for health 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, family and community based on epidemiological and socio-cultural data
• they shall implement preventive, educational and remedial interventions for the solution of the highlighted problems
• they design, plan, implement and evaluate health education interventions at all stages of a person's life
• they define programs and campaigns for health promotion and education
• they make decisions consistent with the legal, ethical, and deontological dimensions governing health care organization and professional responsibility
• are able to properly converse and present their scientific and cultural knowledge and relate in the professional environment
• are able to establish and maintain helping relationships with the person, his or her family, and social context by applying the fundamentals of relational dynamics
• they can actively interact and collaborate 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 January 17, 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 recovery intervention. The Health Care Assistant is not concerned with curing or rehabilitating a sick person: his mission is aimed at maintaining the health status of the person as a whole. Specifically, he or she carries out his or her activities in the areas of: 1) prevention of infectious and chronic degenerative diseases; 2) prevention of accidents and occupational diseases; and 3) protection of maternal, child and family health. It also participates in school health promotion activities and collaborates in the organization and operation of health and social services by acting as a network operator for hospital-territory integration.

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

3) What kind of motivations do those who choose to graduate with a degree in Health Care have?
. Those who choose to major in Health Care should pursue the approach of comprehensive wellness of the individual integrated into the community (One Health approach). This approach aims to ensure the best level of health of individuals and the community, while also considering environmental protection and animal health.

4) Where can I get a job with a degree in Health Care Assisting?
. Health Care Assistants can practice 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 find employment in the general and health management staff of hospitals, public relations offices, prevention and protection services, hospital hygiene services, corporate and regional epidemiological services, quality services, e-health and digital health sectors for prevention and health promotion, prevention departments, complex facilities/services of the socio-health district and those oriented to integrated socio-health activities for the elderly and people with pediatric and adult disabilities. In addition, Physician Assistants may practice, together with general practitioners and/or pediatricians of free choice, in territorial psychiatric services, family counseling, addiction services, community pediatrics, diabetes services, medical genetics services, occupational medicine and services dedicated to the competent and licensed physician, Maritime, Air and Border Health Offices (USMAF) and immigration centers. Finally, they find employment in nursing homes, assisted living facilities (RSAs), regional offices of the National Center for Disease Prevention and Control, prison health, and universities (teaching and research).
 
5) What types of users does a graduate in Health Care work with?
. The Health Care graduate works mainly with people (at all stages of life) and workers for health prevention, promotion and education activities.
 
6) In what public agencies can a graduate in Health Care work?
. A graduate in Health Care can work in multiple public bodies: Ministry of Health, Superior Institute of Health, Regional Health Agencies, Local Health Authorities (Aziende Socio Sanitarie Locali (ASSL), Hospital Authorities, National Institute for Industrial Accident Insurance (INAIL ), IRCCS (Institutes of Hospitalization and Scientific Care), in Universities.
 
7) What outlets does a graduate in Health Care have in the private sector?
. The Health Care graduate can work as an employee in private health care institutions, RSAs, private specialist clinics, pharmacies and parapharmacies. In addition, he/she may engage in freelance work by advising educational institutions on health education and in private medical practices.
 
8) What advanced studies can a graduate in Health Care enter into?
. A graduate in Health Care can gain access to first-level Master's degree programs, can continue their studies with the Master's degree program (LM/SNT4). After earning the Master's Degree, he/she can enter second-level Master's and PhD programs.
 
9) How many chances does a graduate in Health Care have of finding a job?
. The latest Alma Laurea report (Sept. 3, 2021) confirms that the employment rate in Italy for the Health Care graduate one year after graduation is about 80 percent.
 
10) What career opportunities does a graduate in Health Care have?
. The Health Care graduate can hold Coordination, Organizational and Professional positions. He/she can, in addition, access managerial positions (of Simple Structure, Complex Structure, Socio-Health Directorates).

• didatticaDissal@unige.it
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