High School Co-op Placements - Summer 2026
Thank you for your interest in completing a high school co‑op placement with Hôtel‑Dieu Grace Healthcare.
At this time, we are not offering co‑op student placements for the Summer 2026 semester. We appreciate your understanding and encourage you to review the information below regarding upcoming fall placement opportunities.
High School Co-op Placements - Fall Semester 2026
The application process for the 2026 Fall semester co-op program is now open.
Dates
Application Deadline: September 17, 2026, midnight
Interview Invitations: September 18, 2026
Interview Date: September 21, 2026
Hospital Orientation: September 28, 2026
Placement Start date: September 29, 2026
Available Placements
View the list of available placements below. Click on a section to read the Service Description.
Patient Assistant (Rehabilitation & Complex Medical Care)
Name of placement area/unit
Patient Assistant
Located
Emara Building & Tayfour Tower
Unit names
Unit Managers
2 South, Complex Medical Care, Respiratory & Long Term Mechanical Ventilation,
3 North, Complex Medical Care,
3 South, Complex Medical Care,
Rehab 3 & 4, Inpatient Rehabilitation,
Description of placement/Specific Accountabilities
- Reports to main desk upon arrival.
- Introduces themself to the patients and families. Informs families of facilities available for their convenience,(e.g. cafeteria, washrooms, smoking areas, telephone and chapel).
- Personal patient contact: reads, writes letters, engages in recreational activity (e.g. playing cards, chess, etc.), delivers mail and flowers, holds hands, converses with patient, assists with grooming, and telephones family members.
- Promotes goodwill by communicating with patient, family members and staff, and performs errands for the Nursing Unit when directed.
- Anyone talented in crafts can make favours for special occasions or decorations for the unit.
- Does not attempt to lift patients for any reason or perform any nursing duties (e.g. bathing patients, medications, dressing patients, etc.).
- Does neither discuss patient’s medical condition, nor make any medical comments. Does not offer advice or criticism.
Duties
Patient Related Activities
- Answer call bells; directs all inquiries to staff
- Make unoccupied beds, and assist with making occupied beds
- Assist patients with personal hygiene such as combing hair, cleaning teeth, shaving
- Take patient’s height & weight
- Distribute warm wash cloths to patients before a meal so that they can wash their hands prior to eating.
- Set up food, and feed patients only when approved by a nurse
- Distribute drinking water and bedside bags as directed by staff
- Record food and liquid intake, as directed by staff
- Assist with transferring or discharging patients
- Check patient armbands and allergy bands
- Assist with identifying patients at risk for falls or acting out behaviours by making sure that signs are posted on chart holders, and that kardex and chart spine has the appropriate stickers on them
- Find wheelchairs and stretchers as required
- Assist with transporting patients to diagnostic departments as directed by staff
- Assist nurses to position patients in bed
- Assist with application of assistive devices, i.e., put patient’s glasses on; make sure glasses are clean
- Assist with ambulating patients under the direction of the nurse
- Visit with patients; listen to them and communicate with them. Provide recreational activities as appropriate to help them fill their time, such as playing cards, listening to music; Some patients could be taken for an outing to the lobby in a wheelchair, for a change of scenery
Students should not enter isolation or radiation rooms
Clerical Activities
- Direct visitors as requested. If patients are asking directions, take them there, rather than just tell them where to go
- Pick up/deliver/return supplies and equipment as directed
- Pick up dietary trays and supplies from the kitchen
- Deliver laboratory specimens to appropriate lab areas, as directed by staff
- Photocopy requested materials as directed by staff
- Addressograph patient chart forms as directed by staff
- Clean binders as required
- Place staff mail in mailboxes
- Assist with preparation and distribution of staff newsletter and flyers for upcoming events
General Assistance
- Fill linen carts, as directed by staff
- Put full linen bags down the linen chute and replace linen bag on the holder
- Help to decorate for special occasions
- Check patient room for supplies and restock (i.e., gloves, tissues). Collect excess stock from rooms
- Water plants and flowers for patients
- Assist with unit audits as directed by manager
- Retrieve wheelchairs and return to designated departments
- Retrieve IV pumps & return to designated departments
- Ensure that any IV pumps or blood pressure equipment that is not in use is plugged in for charging.
Process
PDF version available
- Review the list of available placements along with their service descriptions.
- Submit the HDGH co-op Application Form
- After submitting the application, you will receive an email with VICNET portal access instructions. You will use the VICNET portal in later steps to upload your required documents.
- All applicants must submit an HDGH Health Clearance. This process can take 2-4 weeks and multiple appointments with a medical professional. Work with your parent or guardian to get this completed before the application deadline - September 11,2025. Note: We will also accept a completed Health Clearance from Windsor Regional Hospital
- Ask your co-op teacher to assist you in getting the following documents: School Course Summary and Attendance Record
- Upload 3 documents to your VICNET profile:
- HDGH Health Clearance Form
- Student's School Course Summary
- Student Attendance record
- Optional: upload a resume and cover letter.
- If you are 18 years of age or older, contact the Advisor, Academic & Volunteer Placement to request a form to obtain a vulnerable sector police clearance.
- Complete the above steps to be considered for an interview.
- Interview time options will be sent directly to the student via email.
- Due to the high volume of applications for our hospital co-op placements, only selected candidates will be invited to interview.
- See the relevant dates concerning application deadline, interviews, etc. at the top of this page.
Contact
Peggy O’Kane
Advisor, Academic & Volunteer Placements
Phone: 519.257.5111 ext. 73935
Cell: 226.347.7739
[email protected]