Personal Support Worker
The Personal Support Worker course prepares students to provide physical, psychological and social assistance to clients. Students participating in this program will learn the full range of skills required to assist people with their personal and household needs in order to ensure their contentment and well being. Students will develop the skills that they need to work in a variety of environments including care facilities, group homes, and hospitals and how to care for clients who are living in their own homes.
They will gain an understanding of how to best provide support and personal care to individuals including assisting with dressing, personal hygiene, mobility and routine activities in accordance with the Regulated Health Professionals Act.
Upon completion students will be able to assist with home management responsibilities including shopping, light house cleaning and meal preparation, assist with family responsibilities and aide the client with social and recreational activities.
The objective of this program is to provide Personal Support Workers with a foundation to care for the safety of their clients, while demonstrating sensitivity and respect for those in their care. Personal Support workers play a key role in society and their attitude and abilities are critical to the comfort, security and health of the people that they support. As a part of this program, students will have the opportunity to practice what they have learned through participating in a supervised placement.
Course Outcome:
Upon successful completion of this course student will be able to:
- Recognize and respect the interests, rights and needs of the clients they care for
- Perform home management tasks such as shopping, light house cleaning and meal preparation
- Handle family responsibilities such as routine care giving to children
- Provide support and assistance with social and recreational activities
- Provide personal care to clients including dressing, personal hygiene, mobility and other routine activities of daily living in accordance with the Regulated Health Professionals Act
- Demonstrate support for the independent action of the client
- Recognize the importance of the PSW as a member of the Health Care team
- Ensure that their own activities and needs do not interfere with their judgment and performance on the job
- Demonstrate empathy, respect and encouragement for clients
- Recognize the mutually beneficial relationship between client and PSW
- Identify, use and care for equipment safely and correctly
- Assist with active range of motion exercises as prescribed
- Recognize the possible signs of abuse and report observations to the appropriate person
- Perform general household tasks such as housekeeping and laundry
- Prepare nutritious, well balanced meals for clients with specific dietary needs
- Recognize the factors that can influence the behavior of clients who require assistance in the activities of daily living
- Identify infection control measures and use personal protective equipment
- Identify factors such as illness, fatigue, stress, sensory overload, pain, fear, frustration and depression that can further effect the functioning of a client
- Accurately measure medications according to directions
- Demonstrate the ability to use the "Medication Problem A.C.T.I.O.N Plan" developed by the Canadian Pharmacists Association
Course Outline:
- Individuality of the Person
- Role of the Personal Support worker
- Interpersonal Skills
- Safety
- Assisting a Person with Mobility
- Abuse
- Household Management and Meal Preparation
- Providing Optimal Support/Care Planning
- Assisting a person with Personal Hygiene
- Assisting the Family
- Cognitive Impairment and Mental Health Issues
- Assisting a Person to Manage Ongoing Conditions
- Assisting a Person with Medications
- Assisting a Person who is Dying
- Review and NACC Final Theory Examination
- Clinical Placement (school supervised/precepted)
Career Opportunities:
Graduates of the Personal Support worker program will be able to find employment as a Personal Support Worker, Home Health Care Worker, Personal Care Attendant, Health Care Aid, Hospital Attendant, Nurses Aide, Nursing Attendant, Orderly, Patient Care Aid, Patient Services Associate, Home Support Worker and as a Visiting Homemaker among other positions.
Duration:
26 weeks (including practicum)
