Personal Support Worker at Algonquin College

Make a difference in the lives of others.

The Personal Support Worker Ontario College Certificate program prepares you for immediate work in healthcare. This two-semester program provides you with the knowledge and practical skills to work as a care provider in a range of healthcare settings.

Develop the ability to engage with persons and families of various ages and health-related needs to promote healthy living. Learn how to assist clients with their daily personal care needs, such as bathing, dressing, grooming, and toileting. In your career, you help those who need assistance to remain as independent as possible.

Through theory, lab practice and clinical/community experiences, learn how to deliver person-centred care, encourage independence and improve the quality of life for your clients.

Participate in clinical experiences, where you focus on the various skills needed to succeed in the field. In these clinical placements, you demonstrate your knowledge and expertise and learn about applying different concepts to real-world environments. These clinical experiences provide you with the opportunity to continue learning as a student member of a healthcare team.

After graduating, you may find employment as a Personal Support Worker. In this role, you work under the supervision of Registered Nurses and/or Registered Practical Nurses in:

• retirement homes
• long-term care facilities
• home-care agencies, and
• hospitals

SUCCESS FACTORS

This program is well-suited for students who:

• Enjoy the challenges of working with individuals of all ages and cultural backgrounds.
• Possess good communication and interpersonal skills.
• Enjoy working with others as a member of a team.
• Are willing to meet the needs of an aging population.
• Possess the ability to handle physically and emotionally demanding situations.
• Possess basic computer skills (Microsoft Word, use of email, website navigation).
• Possess strong time management and organizational skills.

Careers

Graduates may find employment as personal support workers functioning under the supervision of Registered Nurses and/or Registered Practical Nurses in retirement homes, long-term care facilities, community health agencies and acute-care settings.

Learning Outcomes

The graduate has reliably demonstrated the ability to:

1. Work within the personal support worker role in community, retirement homes, long-term care homes and/or hospital-care settings in accordance with all applicable legislation and employer`s job description, policies, procedures and guidelines.
2. Act responsibly and be accountable for own actions while recognizing the boundaries of knowledge and skills within the personal support worker role that require collaboration with the clients, families, supervisors and/or other members of the interprofessional care/service team.
3. Participate as a member of the inter-professional care/service team and maintain collaborative working relationships in the provision of supportive care in community, retirement homes, long-term care homes and/or hospital- care settings.
4. Provide client-centred and client-directed care that is based on ethical principles, sensitive to diverse client and family values, beliefs and needs, and which follows the direction of the plan of care/service plan.
5. Establish and maintain helping relationships with clients and their families reflecting open communication, professional boundaries, employer`s policies and adhering to confidentiality and privacy legislation.
6. Identify relevant client information using basic assessment and communication skills and report and document findings in accordance with the requirements of employer policies and procedures and all applicable legislation.
7. Promote and maintain a safe and comfortable environment for clients, their families, self and others including the implementation of infection prevention and control measures and emergency first aid procedures that are in keeping with the plan of care/service plan, employer policies and procedures, and all applicable legislation.
8. Assist clients across the lifespan with routine activities of daily living by applying basic knowledge of growth and development, common alterations in functioning, disease prevention, health promotion and maintenance, rehabilitation and restorative care.
9. Assist clients with medication in keeping with the direction of the plan of care/service plan and under the direction and monitoring of a regulated health professional or most accountable person and in accordance with all applicable legislation and employer`s policies.
10. Assist with household management tasks and instrumental activities of daily living in accordance with the plan of care/service plan and considering the preferences, comfort and safety of clients, families and significant others.
11. Assist clients who are caring for dependent individuals considering client and family choices, professional boundaries and the direction of the plan of care/service plan.
12. Identify and report situations of neglect, and potential, alleged or witnessed/actual incidents of abuse, and respond in accordance with all applicable legislation and employer`s policies and procedures.
13. Assist in the provision of culturally relevant palliative and end-of-life care to clients experiencing life threatening illness and to their families and significant others, from diagnosis through death and bereavement, and in accordance with clients` choices and the plan of care/service plan.
14. Use identified approaches and best practices to support positive and safe behaviour in clients experiencing cognitive impairment, mental health challenges and/or responsive behaviours.
15. Identify and apply discipline-specific practices that contribute to the local and global community through social responsibility, economic commitment and environmental stewardship.

Program Eligibility

• English, Grade 12 (ENG4C or equivalent).
• Applicants with international transcripts must provide proof of the subject specific requirements noted above and may be required to provide proof of language proficiency. Domestic applicants with international transcripts must be evaluated through the International Credential Assessment Service of Canada (ICAS) or World Education Services (WES).
• IELTS-International English Language Testing Service (Academic) Overall band of 6.0 with a minimum of 5.5 in each band; OR TOEFL-Internet-based (iBT) Overall 80, with a minimum of 20 in each component: Reading 20; Listening 20; Speaking 20; Writing 20.

Should the number of qualified applicants exceed the number of available places; applicants will be selected on the basis of their proficiency in English.