Your Guide to Subject Choices for QQI Level 5 Healthcare Support (5M4339)

Your Guide to Subject Choices for QQI Level 5 Healthcare Support (5M4339)

Choosing the right subject combination for your QQI Level 5 Healthcare Support award is one of the most important decisions you'll make on your path to working as a healthcare assistant in Ireland. With 120 credits to complete across a mix of mandatory and elective modules, there's real flexibility in how you build your qualification — and your choices can shape the type of healthcare role you step into.

This guide breaks down every module available as part of the 5M4339 Major Award, explains what each one covers, and shows you sample subject combinations to help you get started.

🧑‍⚕️ About This Major Award

This major award is highly beneficial for individuals pursuing a career as a Healthcare Assistant. It is a requirement for employment in a range of healthcare settings, including nursing homes, hospitals, community care, and home support services. The qualification ensures that healthcare staff are equipped with the necessary training to provide safe, person-centred, and high-quality care in line with best practices and professional standards.

📘 How the 120 Credits Are Structured

To achieve the full 5M4339 Major Award, learners must complete a combination of mandatory core modules, a work placement module, and elective modules to reach the required 120 credits. Here's how it works:

✅ Required Core Modules — 60 Credits

All four of the following modules must be completed as part of the award. They form the essential foundation of your healthcare training.

Care Skills (5N2770) — 15 Credits

Studying care skills is essential for current or upcoming healthcare assistants, as it equips them with the practical knowledge needed to support individuals with a wide range of physical and personal care needs. This training covers key areas such as assisting with mobility, personal hygiene, toileting, dressing, and nutrition. It also emphasises the importance of communication, empathy, and respecting the dignity and independence of each individual.

In addition to building hands-on competence, learning care skills helps healthcare workers respond appropriately to changes in a person's condition, work confidently as part of the multi-disciplinary team (MDT), and follow best practices in patient safety and comfort.

Care Support (5N0758) — 15 Credits

Studying care support is an important part of training for a Healthcare Assistant, as it helps develop the understanding, attitude, and approach needed to provide meaningful and effective care. This subject focuses on the emotional, psychological, and social aspects of supporting people who may be vulnerable, elderly, ill, or living with disabilities. It teaches healthcare assistants how to build positive relationships with service users, promote independence, and support their dignity and choices in day-to-day life.

Safety and Health at Work (5N1794) — 15 Credits

The Safety and Health at Work module is designed to help healthcare workers understand how to maintain a safe working environment for themselves, their colleagues, and the people they care for. This module covers important topics such as identifying workplace hazards, understanding health and safety legislation, using personal protective equipment (PPE), proper manual handling techniques, infection prevention and control, and responding to emergencies. It ensures that care is delivered in line with national standards and legal requirements.

Communications (5N0690) — 15 Credits

The Communications module helps healthcare workers develop the essential skills needed to communicate effectively with patients, families, and colleagues. This module covers both verbal and non-verbal communication, active listening, written communication, and how to adapt communication styles to suit different individuals, including those with speech, hearing, or cognitive difficulties.

It also focuses on the importance of confidentiality, empathy, and professionalism in all interactions — helping healthcare workers build trust, handle sensitive information appropriately, and work as part of a supportive team.

🧰 Work Placement Module — Choose One (15 Credits)

You must complete one of the two work placement modules below. This brings your total to 75 credits.

Work Experience (5N1356) — 15 Credits

The Work Experience module gives healthcare learners the opportunity to apply their learning in a real healthcare environment. Over the course of at least 110 hours of placement, learners gain practical, hands-on experience in settings such as nursing homes, hospitals, or home care services. This placement allows them to develop practical care skills, observe professional standards, and understand the day-to-day responsibilities of a healthcare assistant. It also helps build confidence, communication skills, and a greater awareness of the needs of service users.

Work Practice (5N1433) — 15 Credits

The Work Practice module involves a more extended placement — lasting a minimum of two months — to give learners a deeper understanding of the healthcare environment. This module focuses on professional behaviour, teamwork, time management, and following workplace policies and procedures. Students are expected to reflect on their experiences, identify learning goals, and take on greater responsibility in their role. It encourages personal development and a strong sense of accountability in care delivery.

📋 Elective Modules — Choose 3 to Complete Your 120 Credits

The following elective modules are available at our centre. You need to choose three modules (45 credits) to reach the full 120-credit requirement. Choose based on your career goals and the type of healthcare environment you want to work in.

Care of the Older Person (5N2706)

A significant part of the healthcare assistant role often involves supporting older adults. This module helps healthcare assistants understand the physical, emotional, and social changes that come with ageing, as well as common age-related conditions such as dementia, arthritis, and reduced mobility. It also emphasises the importance of promoting independence, dignity, and respect in every aspect of care. Essential for anyone planning to work in nursing homes, hospitals, or community settings.

Anatomy & Physiology (5N0749)

Studying anatomy and physiology provides a foundational understanding of how the human body works. This knowledge helps healthcare assistants recognise changes in a person's condition and communicate those changes more effectively with nurses and other healthcare professionals. It also supports safe, informed, and person-centred care by giving assistants the background they need to respond appropriately to physical needs.

Human Growth & Development (5N1279)

This module helps healthcare assistants understand the physical, emotional, and cognitive changes that occur throughout a person's life. This knowledge enables them to provide age-appropriate care, anticipate the needs of individuals at different life stages, and support their well-being effectively. It also helps recognise normal developmental milestones and identify any potential concerns that may require further attention from senior healthcare professionals.

Social Studies (5N1370)

The Social Studies module helps healthcare assistants understand the broader social factors that affect the lives of the individuals they care for. By studying sociology, social stratification, and the impact of discrimination, healthcare assistants gain insight into how factors like class, gender, race, and cultural background influence a person's health and well-being — enabling them to build stronger, more empathetic connections with service users.

Intellectual Disability Studies (5N1652)

This module gives healthcare assistants a better understanding of the needs, abilities, and rights of individuals with intellectual disabilities. Learners discover how to provide respectful, person-centred care that promotes independence, dignity, and inclusion. It also covers the social and medical models of disability, effective communication strategies, and how to support individuals in daily living while recognising their unique strengths.

Infection Prevention & Control (5N3734)

A vital module for all healthcare settings. Healthcare assistants often work with individuals who are more vulnerable to illness, making it essential to maintain the highest standards of hygiene and safety. A key focus is the use of standard precautions — including hand hygiene, correct use of PPE, safe handling of waste, and proper cleaning practices. These safeguards protect service users, healthcare workers, and visitors alike.

Activities of Living Patient Care (5N3707)

This module teaches the basic care skills needed to support people with everyday tasks including washing, dressing, eating, using the toilet, oral hygiene, movement and transfers, and helping maintain a clean, safe environment. It also covers physical observations such as checking temperature, pulse, respirations, weight, urinalysis, and fluid balance monitoring. Completion of this module may support progression to more advanced healthcare assistant roles.

Nutrition (5N2006)

Understanding nutrition is useful for healthcare assistants who support people with specific dietary needs due to age, illness, or medical conditions. By learning about nutrition, they can help prepare or serve balanced meals, support feeding where needed, and promote good eating habits — all of which play a direct role in a person's overall health and recovery.

Care Provision & Practice (5N2705)

This module equips healthcare students with the skills and knowledge to meet the diverse care needs of specific groups in the community, including children, adolescents, adults, older people, and those with special needs. It focuses on their physical, emotional, social, and intellectual well-being, while emphasising the caring qualities needed — such as empathy, respect, and active listening — and ensuring privacy, dignity, independence, and a positive self-image for those in care.

Palliative Care Support (5N3769)

This module focuses on providing specialised care for individuals with life-limiting or terminal illnesses. Healthcare workers learn how to manage symptoms, improve quality of life, and offer emotional, psychological, and spiritual support to both the patient and their family. The course covers physical care support, communication skills for discussing sensitive topics, and supporting patients throughout their palliative journey in a compassionate, respectful, and person-centred manner.

Rehabilitation Support (5N3775)

The Rehabilitation Support module is designed to help healthcare assistants support individuals in regaining independence and recovering after illness, injury, or surgery. It teaches how to support mobility, assist with the use of assistive devices, and provide crucial emotional and psychological support throughout the recovery process. The module emphasises creating a nurturing environment, motivating patients, and fostering independence while collaborating with the wider healthcare team.

Nursing Theory & Practice (5N4325)

This module is ideal for those looking to round out their credits with a specialist edge. It provides a strong theoretical grounding in nursing principles and their practical application in healthcare settings, making it a particularly valuable choice for learners who may wish to progress towards nursing studies or more advanced healthcare roles in the future.

🧮 Sample Subject Combinations

Not sure which three electives to choose? Here are two example combinations to help you think through your options.

🎓 Progression Opportunities

Completing this award opens a wide range of doors. Here's where the 5M4339 qualification can take you:

📝 Subject Choice Tips

Not sure which modules are right for you? Our team at Forus Training is happy to help you plan your subject combination based on your career goals and current experience. Contact us here or download the course brochure below.