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Chapter 5 Findings
(10 WTE), 11 x healthcare assistants (9 WTE), 1 x porter, 1 x laundry attendant
and 1 x ward clerk. The porter was the only male staff member (Table 5.1).
Table 5.1: Grades of staff and numbers employed on the research unit
Staff grade Totalheadcount Whole time equivalent
Clinical Nurse
Manager
2 2
Nurses
Healthcare
assistants
Support staff
5.3.1 Staff Recruitment
18 10
11 9
3 3
As mentioned previously, the research unit was managed as part of an acute
hospital; therefore staff were recruited to the hospital rather than specifically to
work in residential care. This meant that not all staff chose to work in this
specialty and some were on transfer request lists should a vacancy in another unit
arise. It also meant that staff could be moved at any time according to the
hospital’s resource requirements. Three nurses had been recruited from India.
5.3.2 Education
The educational qualifications of both nursing staff and healthcare assistant staff
will now be presented.
5.3.2.1 Healthcare Assistants’ Education
Seventy-three per cent (n=8) of the HCA staff had completed the Further
Education and Training Awards Council Level 5 programme for Healthcare
Assistants (see Chart 5.1). FETAC is the statutory awarding body for further
education and training in Ireland. FETAC makes quality assured awards that are
part of the National Framework of Qualifications from levels 1-6. This FETAC
training is recommended in the National Standards for Residential Care. Twenty-
Seven per cent (n=3) had completed a pre-nursing course. In addition to or
instead of the FETAC level 5 for Healthcare Assistants, staff had completed