Certificate in Personal Support Worker

About the Program

As a member of an interprofessional health-care team, a Personal Support Worker (PSW) provides supportive person-centered care across the lifespan to individuals and families, at various levels of health and wellbeing, in a variety of care environments including: long-term, community and/or hospital care settings. Conestoga's PSW program prepares students to become preferred graduates for the profession; one that truly makes a difference in the lives of others.
Students will progress from beginning engagement to an entry-to-practice prepared professional PSW; one who participates in the delivery of care as directed by the plan of care/service plan with activities of daily living, comprising personal care, home management and nutrition and family responsibilities. Throughout the program, students learn how to promote a comfortable and safe environment for all clients including those experiencing responsive behaviours, risk for injury and/or clients requiring end-of-life care. Provincially recognized certificates related to these areas of learning will be received.
Experiential learning, which is central to Conestoga's program, is integrated throughout to support student application of knowledge, skills and judgment. Students have the opportunity to study in the state-of-the art, technology-enhanced Cowan Health Sciences Centre (Doon - Kitchener) or in one of two Living Classrooms (Schlegel Village of Riverside Glen - Guelph and Schlegel Village at University Gates - Waterloo).
The Living Classroom is an innovative curriculum delivery model, combining classroom and real-life experiences for students to build increased knowledge and confidence working with older clients and care teams obtained by immediate integration of learning in long-term care and retirement living environments.

Program Outcomes

• 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.

• 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

• 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.

• 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.

• Use identified approaches and best practices to support positive and safe behaviour in clients experiencing cognitive impairment, mental health challenges and/or responsive behaviours.

• Apply knowledge of and commitment to continuous quality improvement and change initiatives, including the responsibility of ongoing and continuing professional development.

• Make use of self-care strategies to manage personal and professional stressors in accordance with client and employer expectations

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