Personal Support Worker (PSW) Program at George Brown College

FULL DESCRIPTION

Personal Support Worker (PSW) is a two-semester program that teaches students the full range of skills required to assist clients with their personal and household needs in order to ensure their comfort and safety. PSWs provide or assist with personal care for:

• the frail elderly
• the chronically ill
• people with physical disabilities living in the community
• people in long-term care facilities
• people in select ambulatory care settings
• people in acute medical and surgical settings
• people receiving palliative care

PROGRAM STANDARDS AND LEARNING OUTCOMES

The graduate has reliably demonstrated the ability to:

• 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.
• 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.
• Participate as a member of the interprofessional 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.
• 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.
• 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.
• 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.
• 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.
• 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.
• 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.
• 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.

YOUR CAREER

PSW graduates find employment at locations such as:

• ambulatory care settings
• long-term care facilities
• residential and supportive housing
• community support agencies
• acute medical settings
• palliative care settings