Program Overview
The Personal Support Worker program prepares graduates with the knowledge and skills to provide compassionate, safe and supportive care to individuals across their lifespan including clients experiencing cognitive impairment, physical disability, age and mental health challenges. Students will develop assessment and communications skills in order to identify and document pertinent information about their client’s health status. Students will learn to provide client-centred and client-directed care based on ethical principles, sensitivity to diverse client and family values, beliefs and needs, and follow the direction of the care plan.
Program Highlights
- Clinical placements in Windsor-Essex and surrounding areas include:
- Long-term -Care Facilities
- Community Care Facilities
- Hospital Facilities
- Practical hands-on training in:
- Well-equipped simulation labs
- Simulated Apartments
Career Opportunities
There are excellent employment opportunities in Long-Term Care Facilities (Nursing Homes, Government Agencies), Community Care Facilities (Community Living, Palliative Care) and Hospital Facilities (Complex Care).
Some opportunities also exist in the non-profit sector including the Alzheimer Society. There is also the potential for employment in retail homecare services.
Admission Requirements
OSSD with the majority of courses at the College (C), University (U), University/College (M) or Open (O) level qualify for admission to this program.
Mature students - See Admission Procedures for details.
Courses
The curriculum below is for incoming students:
Semester 1
Code | Title | Credits |
---|
*PSW114 - Practicum 1 - Lab / Practicum 1 - Clinical (S/U)
Semester 2
Code | Title | Credits |
---|---|---|
PSW208
|
Mental Health & Dementia, Studies |
2
|
PSW209
|
Family Studies & Community Care |
2
|
PSW201
|
Restorative & Pallative Care |
2
|
PSW214
|
Practicum II - Clinical |
9
|
PSW216
|
Preceptorship In Long Term Care |
8
|
PSW218
|
Preceptorship In Community |
6
|
PSW204
|
Pharmacology For The Personal Support Worker |
2
|
PSW206
|
Career Development |
1
|
Printable Student Responsibility Checklist
Placement Requirements
This is to make you aware that, although a COVID-19 vaccination is not required to attend St. Clair College, all of our clinical placement sites are requiring students to be fully vaccinated for COVID-19 to be eligible to attend. Students who are not fully vaccinated cannot be provided with a clinical placement for their program and therefore will not be able to complete their programs. Please be advised that COVID-19 booster shots and/or other requirements may become mandatory for clinical placement, however, they are not currently required.
If you have any questions about the COVID-19 vaccines, please contact our St. Clair College Health Centre at 519-972-2727 ext. 4484 (in Windsor) or 519-354-9100 ext. 3729 (in Chatham).
Field/Clinical Placements
- Student clinical placements are assigned. Student personal requests for placement cannot be accommodated.
- Windsor students may be placed anywhere in Windsor and Essex county
- Chatham students may be placed anywhere in Chatham and Kent county
- Clinical placement schedules may include shifts on days and afternoons throughout the program based on clinical need and agency availability
- Students are responsible for their own travel and costs to clinical placements
- Students are responsible for the cost of scrub uniforms/footwear and other incidentals as required
Health/Clinical Placement Requirements
Mandatory Medical Requirements - Section A
- Entering Students Preplacement Form
- This medical form can be taken to your personal healthcare provider to complete. This medical clearance may take up to 2 months to complete so please make an appointment to start the process as soon as possible. When the medical form is completed you must make an appointment with the St. Clair College Health Centre (519-972-2380) to have the medical form reviewed and cleared to receive your "Passport to Health". The Registrar’s office will only accept your "Passport to Health" from the St. Clair College Health Centre as evidence that you have met the mandatory medical requirements.
- Preplacement Guidelines
Mandatory Non-Medical Requirements - Section B (All ORIGINAL documents must be provided for clearance)
- Current CPR BLS with AED (annual renewal is required regardless of the expiry date on the card)
- Please note the CPR must be for Health Care Providers (HCP) and must include Automated External Defibrillator (AED) training or it will not meet the requirements for clinical. Recertification must be annually completed despite what the CPR card may have as a recertification date.
- Standard First Aid
- N95 Mask Fit Testing (completed every two years)
- Vulnerable Sector Police Check (annual) AND Photo ID required with birthdate (e.g. Driver's License)
- The Vulnerable Sector Police Check must be done within 6 months of starting clinical placement. To avoid having to have the police check repeated for the winter semester, it is suggested that students apply for the clearance the first week in August but no later than that. The results can take up to 6 weeks to arrive so don't wait to apply for it.
- Annual Police Clearance Requirements
Program Physical Demands Analysis
Program Vocational Learning Outcomes
Personal Support Worker (Ontario College Certificate) (MTCU Code 41469)
The graduate has reliably demonstrated the ability to:
- Work within the personal support worker role in various care settings in accordance with all applicable legislation, standards, employer job descriptions, policies, procedures and guidelines.
- Practice professionally, and be accountable for one's own actions by applying problem-solving, self-awareness, time management and critical thinking to the provision of care as a personal support worker, whether working independently or as a member of a team.
- Practice as an engaged member of the interprofessional team to maintain collaborative working relationships for the provision of supportive, safe, responsive and competent client-centred care within care settings.
- Provide person-centred care, based on ethical principles, sensitive to diverse personal and family values, beliefs, cultural practices and other needs, which follows the plan of care.
- Establish and maintain therapeutic relationships with clients and their families using effective communication skills to build a genuine, trusting, and respectful partnership, in accordance with professional boundaries, employer policies, confidentiality, and privacy legislation.
- Identify relevant client information within the roles and responsibilities of the personal support worker using observation, critical thinking, and effective communication skills to report and document findings.
- Create, promote and maintain a safe and comfortable environment for clients, their families, self and others by implementing current infection prevention and control measures, emergency and first aid procedures, and best practices in pandemic planning that are in keeping with the plan of care, all applicable legislation, and employer policies and procedures.
- Assist clients across the lifespan with activities of daily living by applying fundamental knowledge of growth and development, psychological concepts, common alterations in functioning, health promotion, disease prevention, rehabilitation and restorative care, and holistic health care.
- Assist the client with medication following the client's plan of care, and if a delegated act, under the supervision of a regulated health professional or done by exception under the most accountable person and in accordance with all applicable legislation and employer policies.
- Assist with household management services and instrumental activities of daily living in accordance with the plan of care and considering the preferences, comfort, safety and autonomy of clients, families and significant others.
- Assist and support clients who are caregivers, considering individual and family choices, professional boundaries and the direction of the plan of care.
- Identify, respond to and report potential, alleged, suspected or witnessed situations of abuse, and/or neglect, as required by all applicable legislation, including the Retirement Homes Act, 2010 and the Long-Term Care Homes Act, 2007, and as required within the employers' job description for the personal support workers.
- Assist with the provision of holistic health care and advocacy for culturally safe and spiritually sensitive palliative and end-of-life care to clients and to their families and significant others from diagnosis through to death and bereavement, and in accordance with clients’ choices and the plan of care.
- Provide client-centered and client-directed care to individuals experiencing various mental health illness and challenges, cognitive and intellectual impairments, and/or responsive behaviours by using supportive approaches and evidence-based practices to promote positive and safe behaviours in clients.