Our Members

Monika Tsia, clinical exercise specialist, Surrey
Monika Tsia, clinical exercise specialist, Surrey

DELIVERING MODERN HEALTH CARE AND SOCIAL SERVICES

HSA is the union representing more than 20,000 professionals working in health care and community social services around BC. Each is a skilled practitioner of the smartest, most innovative tools and techniques. Here are just a few members of our diverse union.

HEALTH SCIENCE PROFESSIONALS

MEDICAL LABORATORY TECHNOLOGISTS, or lab technologists, work in a variety of specialized fields in BC's public laboratories. They conduct medical laboratory tests, experiments, and analysis to assist in the diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of diseases.

MEDICAL IMAGING TECHNOLOGISTS 
These professions include:

  • MEDICAL RADIATION TECHNOLOGISTS (x-ray) who perform a wide range of procedures, including general radiography, mammography, angiography, fluoroscopy, and CT scans;
  • NUCLEAR MEDICINE TECHNOLOGISTS who carry out diagnostic imaging using radiopharmaceuticals that concentrate in specific organs;
  • RADIATION THERAPISTS who administer radiation treatment at cancer clinics;
  • MAGNETIC RESONANCE TECHNOLOGISTS who operate MRI scanners to acquire images of soft tissues using magnetism, radio waves and computer technology.

PHYSIOTHERAPISTS evaluate, restore and maintain patients' physical functions. They have a detailed understanding of how the body works and are trained to assess and improve movement and function and relieve pain.

SOCIAL WORKERS help and empower individuals, families, groups and communities to resolve problems that affect their well-being on an individual or collective basis.

OCCUPATIONAL THERAPISTS plan and carry out individually designed programs of activity for patients so they can work, play, care for themselves, and carry out everyday activities.

PHARMACISTS interpret and evaluate prescriptions, dispense drugs, monitor drug therapy, and advise on the therapeutic values, content and hazards of drugs.

RESPIRATORY THERAPISTS assist in the diagnosis, treatment, and care of patients with respiratory and cardiopulmonary disorders. This includes performing diagnostic tests, operating, and monitoring respiratory equipment, and performing artificial respiration and external cardiac massage.

REGISTERED DIETITIANS are trained food and nutrition professionals with knowledge and skills in therapeutic and regular nutrition, as well as food service systems management.

HEALTH RECORDS ADMINISTRATORS work with confidential health records and manage health information systems, using computer technologies to capture, manage, and analyze data. They also compile statistics for use in health care delivery and planning.

DIAGNOSTIC MEDICAL SONOGRAPHERS operate ultrasound equipment to produce and record images of various parts of the body.

CARDIOLOGY TECHNOLOGISTS diagnose, evaluate and monitor heart function, identify life-threatening changes during procedures and implement resuscitation measures when needed.

SPEECH LANGUAGE PATHOLOGISTS diagnose, evaluate and treat a wide range of communication and speech-language disorders in infants, children, and adults.

BIOMEDICAL ENGINEERING TECHNOLOGISTS maintain and repair the specialized biomedical equipment used to monitor, diagnose and treat medical conditions.

PSYCHOLOGISTS are trained to assess and diagnose problems in thinking, feeling and behaviour. Psychologists help people to overcome or manage their problems using a variety of treatments or psychotherapies.

Other health science professionals belonging to HSA include:

  • Anesthesia Assistants
  • Audiologists
  • Clinical Perfusionists
  • Child Life Specialists
  • Clinical Counsellors, Rehabilitation Counsellors, and Counselling Therapists
  • Clinical Exercise Specialists
  • Counsellors
  • Psychometrists
  • Electroneurophysiology (ENP) Technologists including:
    • Electroencephalography (EEG)
    • Electromyography (EMG)
    • Evoked Potentials (EP)
    • Electronystagmography (ENG) and Polysomnography
  • Health Records Administrators
  • Infant Development (IDP) Consultants
  • Music Therapists
  • Cardiology Technologists
  • Cardiopulmonary Technologists
  • Prosthetists
  • Orthotists
  • Recreation Therapists
  • Preschool Teachers
  • Early Childhood Educators
  • Supported Child Care Consultants
  • Vocational Counsellors

Community health services and support workers

The Health Sciences Association of BC represents more than 750 members of the Health Services & Support - Community Subsector bargaining unit. These front-line community health caregivers, working in a wide range of occupations, are employed in the following 20 community-based health agencies located across BC:

  • AIDS Vancouver
  • Alouette Addictions Services (Maple Ridge)
  • Canadian Mental Health Association, BC Division (Vancouver Office)
  • Canadian Mental Health Association, BC Division (Victoria Office)
  • Central Community Health Centre (North Shore)
  • The Centre for Child Development (Surrey)
  • The Child Development Centre of Prince George and District Association
  • Community Action Initiative (Vancouver)
  • Comox Valley Child Development Centre (Courtenay)
  • Fort St. John Child Development Centre
  • Foundry (North Shore)
  • Fraser Valley Child Development Centre (Abbotsford)
  • Kettle Friendship Society (Vancouver)
  • Living Positive Resource Centre, Okanagan (Kelowna)
  • Dixon Transition Society (Burnaby)
  • North Okanagan Neurological Association (Vernon)
  • Okanagan Similkameen Neurological Society (Penticton)
  • Open Door Group (Vancouver)
  • Port Alberni Association for Children
  • The Positive Women's Network (Vancouver)
  • Quesnel & District Child Development Centre
  • Ridge Meadows Child Development Centre (Maple Ridge)
  • South Peace Child Development Centre (Dawson Creek)
  • Thompson Nicola Family Resource Society (Kamloops)
  • Vancouver Island Mental Health Society (Nanaimo)

Community Social Services

The Health Sciences Association of BC represents more than 750 community social services workers employed at 16 different agencies across the province, including transition houses, child development centres, family services agencies, mental health facilities, young offenders programs and alcohol/drug programs:

  • Cameray Counselling Centre (Burnaby & New Westminster)
  • Campbell River and North Island Transition Society
  • Campbell River Family Services
  • Comox Valley Transition Society (Courtenay)
  • Connexus Community Resources (Vanderhoof)
  • Deltassist Family and Community Services (Delta)
  • Haven: A Society for Women and Children (Nanaimo)
  • John Howard Society of North Island (Campbell River)
  • Langley Child Development Centre
  • Mackenzie Counselling Services Society
  • Powell River and Region Transition House Society
  • Robson Valley Home Community Services Society (McBride)
  • SHARE Family and Community Services Society (Coquitlam)
  • Sources Community Resource Centres (White Rock)
  • South Okanagan Women in Need Society (Penticton)
  • Starbright Children's Development Centre (Kelowna)
  • Victoria Women's Transition House Society
  • Future Focus (Comox, Courtenay, & Campbell River)
  • Islanders Working Against Violence (Salt Spring Island)
  • Alberni Community & Women's Services Society ( Port Alberni)

registered psychiatric nurses

PSYCHIATRIC NURSES provide direct services to people whose primary health needs are related to their emotional or mental well-being. They deliver mental health education to a variety of patients and work in hospitals, mental health centres, and long term care facilities.

The basis of psychiatric nursing is a caring, therapeutic relationship; the core knowledge and skills of psychiatric nursing are developed from the nursing, psycho-social, biological and physical sciences.

Psychiatric nursing practice includes clinical, administrative, educational, consultative and research functions. The governing body for the profession in BC is the College of Registered Psychiatric Nurses of British Columbia (CRPNBC). HSA represents more than 1100 RPNs in acute-care, long-term care, mental health and home support facilities and agencies across BC.

HSA members in the private sector

HSA represents more than 100 employees in the private health care sector, including:

  • Paragon Orthotics Lab in Victoria, a manufacturer of footwear orthotics
  • diagnostic imaging clinics operated by West Coast Medical Imaging in the Victoria area and the Lower Mainland that provide services such as x-ray, mammography and ultrasound