Who are General Duty Assistants, what do they do?

General duty assistants are the healthcare professionals who ensure that immediate medical attention and timely assistance are provided to patients in hospitals, clinics, and old age homes. The responsibilities of a GDA are to ensure that those under their care receive timely medication, assist in daily routines and tasks that some patients will not be able to perform themselves, and also help maintain a suitable environment for a patient’s recovery.

General Duty Assistants, also known as health care support workers or personal care assistants, assist with the daily basic care and safety of people who are ill, elderly or disabled. This can be a rewarding career, in which you will make a real difference to individual lives.

Eligibility Criteria

GDA (General Duty Assistant) is a designation that requires one to possess a minimum qualification of Class 8. Good communication skills, patience and focus are all add-ons if you want to be successful in this role.

Duties and Responsibilities of General Duty Assistants

A General Duty Assistant is one of the key players in ensuring that the day-to-day needs of patients are met promptly. Their main roles and responsibilities include:

• Assist in basic patient care like helping with delivering their daily medication, and reporting any unusual behaviour to a nurse.
• They are responsible for dressing, feeding and caring for patients, the elderly, or the disabled who are under their care.
• Provide patient care as directed by physician or nurse - including exercising, bathing and other activities considered therapy. 
• Helps patients in and out of bed or moving around their rooms.
• A general duty assistant will provide a range of personal care needs for patients, including bathing, grooming and changing. 
• The assistant should be able to offer support in personal hygiene and safety, as well as housekeeping duties such as laundry and cleaning.

How to become a General Duty Assistant?

Tech Mahindra SMART Academy offers a six-month General Duty Assistant course that is accredited by the Healthcare Sector Skill Council and National Skills Development Corporation, who will train you to work as a certified nursing assistant in hospitals and care homes thanks to on-the-job training/internships. Tech Mahindra SMART Academies’ General Duty Assistant (GDA) course is an exciting opportunity for you to become a certified nursing assistant in hospitals and home care scenarios.

How to be a Good General Duty Assistant?

To be a good General Duty Assistant, one needs to have a whole range of skills and patience. Here are the soft-skills a GDA should possess:

• Interpersonal skills
• Team player
• Service and result oriented
• High level of patience and tolerance
• Communication skills
• Kindness and compassion
• Empathy
• Strong-will
• Mindful and practical

Work Environment and Working Hours

General Duty Assistants must be flexible to work in a wide range of healthcare institutes, such as:

• Hospitals
• Old Age Homes
• Patient’s Homes
• Community Care Centers
• Mental Health Institutes

Your workplace environment is a key factor affecting your health and safety. An optimal working environment includes safe, comfortable temperatures and reasonable noise levels. A healthy workplace includes healthy food options and wellness programs. Additionally, it is important to have reasonable work hours such as weekends, holidays and vacations. If you are available early or stay late on an emergency basis, that should be considered separately from regular working hours.

Placement and Salaries at SMART Academies

The induction of our first SMART Academy for Healthcare, over 3100 students enrolled across the Academies to become skilled healthcare professionals and were placed at various renowned healthcare centers. These academies have maintained a placement rate of over 70%.

The placement and salaries at SMART Academies have been growing consistently. In the recent years, our average placement percentage has been as high as 100% for our GDA batch 2019-20. A survey conducted by USPRO of various institutes in India revealed that the average salary of a graduate from SMART Academies was 17,000 in Delhi, 8,941 in Mohali and 15,000 in Mumbai respectively.

Career and Job Opportunities for GDAs

A General Duty Assistant can grow in their respective fields of choice by accumulating experience and looking for job opportunities in the domestic and international markets.

The growth of the medical sector has increased demand for General Duty Assistants who have the right skills and experience to fulfill these roles, making it a highly sought-after job. With an ever-increasing demand for skilled General Duty Assistants and opportunities opening up in multiple sectors, an experienced GDA can aspire to be a Nursing Supervisor or even a Head Nurse with the right profile.