Certificate in Personal Support Worker Fanshawe College - London Campus, Canada

Personal Support Worker is a two level program leading to an Ontario College Certificate.  Graduates, as entry-level unregulated workers, have the knowledge, skills, and attitudes necessary to provide personal care and home management services to clients in both community and institutional settings.

Personal Support Workers work with clients who are stable and who have clearly identified needs that are not expected to change significantly. They work under the supervision of care/service teams (which include nurses and other regulated or non-regulated care providers) as well as under the direction of the client.

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.
• 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-oflife 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*.