Personal Support Worker

Ontario College Certificate (1 Year - 2 Semesters) (3027)

About the Program

The Personal Support Worker Program at Sault College will prepare you for the various challenges and experiences that are part of the expanding health care setting. The faculty and staff at Sault College are ready to assist you in preparation to become a successful graduate in this growing and exciting environment. The Personal Support Worker Program is based upon six components: the client, health, caring, teaching, learning and support work. These components will prepare you for the role of assisting clients and families to achieve health outcomes. To reflect these beliefs, Sault College has developed a holistic and evidence based program that incorporates relevant knowledge, skills, values, and health-related theory. The Personal Support Worker Program here at Sault College is designed to provide the graduate student with the needed theory and skills to be successful within the various settings of healthcare.

September, January and May Intakes are available for this program.  Please contact the Registrar`s Office for further information.


Program of Study

 
Semester 1
CMM115 - 3Communications I  
PSW108 - 3Body Structure and Function I  
PSW120 - 4Principles of PSW Practice I  
PSW121 - 3Health Promotion and Health Challenges I  
PSW123 - 9PSW Practicum I  
 
Semester 2
PSW118 - 3Body Structure and Function II  
PSW130 - 3Principles of PSW Practice II  
PSW131 - 3Health Promotion and Health Challenges II  
PSW133 - 12PSW Practicum II  

Career Paths

The staff and faculty are committed to providing an academic environment that will help you achieve personal and professional success. When you have completed the Personal Support Program here at Sault College you will be able to work in various settings such as Nursing Homes and Long-term Care, Hospitals, Private Agencies, Retirement Homes and Home Care Settings.

Minimum Academic Requirements

To enter the Personal Support Worker program, youll need to have Ontario Secondary School diploma with Grade 12 English (C) ENG4C or mature student status. A mature student is someone who is 19 years of age or older by the first day of College and has not graduated from high school. If you have graduated from high school but havent been to school in a while, youre an adult learner. If youre a mature student, you can still apply to College, and have two options:You can pay $25 to write the Canadian Academic Achievement Test (CAAT) for Math and/or English requirements only or you can take Academic Upgrading for free to get your high school equivalency for any of our college programs. If youre an adult learner that, is, have graduated from high school and have been out of school for a while, you still may want to consider free Academic Upgrading to re-fresh your skills before the start of the Personal Support Worker program. Upgrading programs start at the beginning of each month. Call Rike Landry at 705-759-2554 ext., 2733 to learn more.

Academic Recommendations

We really want you to make the best choice possible and make a decision thats right for you. Before deciding to study to become a Personal Support Worker, please give us a call to talk about what working in this field will be like. That way, youll know exactly what your future will look like. We can talk with you over the phone, tour you around the facilities and classrooms, or invite you to sit in on a class. Call Andrew at 705.759.2554, ext. 2802 to learn more about a future as a Personal Support Worker.

Dress Code

The public we serve and the institutions with which we share contractual agreements expect a neat and well-groomed appearance of the Personal Support Worker student. A professional image communicates respect, caring and inspires confidence and trust with our clients and others.It is expected that Sault College Personal Support Worker students will follow a dress code at all times and will also adhere to the policies of the agencies they visiting as students.

Clinical/Lab and Field Placement Requirements

Throughout the program, you will gain valuable experience in your practicum placements. You will be working with clients and families in a variety of settings and circumstances. Further, you will have many opportunities to make a positive difference in their lives. To be able to attend these practicum areas to learn, youll need to complete certain requirements (listed below) and bring in documents to support completion prior to starting your practicum placement. This is necessary to have in place before practicum starts as planning begins several weeks in advance. By having your requirements completed ensures that you are able to gain the experience needed to meet the course outcomes successfully. Information regarding the requirements you will need will be sent to you once you apply to and are accepted into the program. There is a cost to having this done, approximately $215.00 and it is best to complete as much of the requirements as possible, such as First Aid and CPR Level C, before you get here and begin your studies. You will also complete a health assessment form which will also be sent to you once you apply and are accepted into the program which you will need to complete and bring to the College`s Health Centre. The Health Assessment Form needs to have the following: Required: Valid and current two step TB test Immunity against measles, mumps and rubella Current Tetanus-diphtheria Recommended: Hep-B Vaccination is encouraged Current Influenza immunization encouraged (Will be further discussed) You will also need to show that you have completed: First Aid Certificate and CPR Level C (Healthcare Provider Level) WHMIS (Workplace Hazardous Materials Information System)Criminal Record Check

Other Information

The Personal Support Worker program gives you a strong foundation for going on in the health care field of study if you would like to further your education. After graduating successfully from the program, you can work part-time on week-ends and evenings as a Personal Support Worker at a competitive wage to help pay with your education while going on in school. To go on to become a Practical Nurse after graduating from the Personal Support Worker program, you will still need two additional courses: Grade 12 Chemistry (C) SCH4C and Grade 11 Foundations for College Math (C) MBF3C to enter the Practical Nursing program. Both of these are offered through our free Academic Upgrading program and can be done simultaneously if you choose while taking the Personal Support Program. Call Rike at 705.759.2554, ext. 2433 to learn more about taking these courses. If you successfully complete both PSW108 and PSW118 while studying in the Personal Support Worker program, those will be accepted for Grade 11 Biology (C) SBI3C, which is required for the Practical Nursing program. You will also be exempted from the Medical Terminology portion of Practical Nursing if you have completed Medical Terminology in the Personal Support Worker or within the Continuing Education Program. For more information about continuing on in your studies in health care, please call Andrew Metcalfe, Program Coordinator for PSW at 705.759.2554, ext. 2802 or by email at andrew.metcalfe@saultcollege.ca.

Course Descriptions

Semester 1

Communications I (CMM115) (3 credits)

The focus of this course is paragraph writing.  Students will produce effective, college-level expository/response paragraphs by developing analytical skills to select and properly integrate electronic and other research materials.  Writing components such as rhetorical modes, grammar, sentence structure, paragraph development, editing, and referencing are included. 

Body Structure and Function I (PSW108) (3 credits)
This course will provide the learner with a general understanding of the structure and function of the human body. The learner will begin to examine body systems to obtain knowledge of how the structures and functions are related to maintain homeostatis.

Principles of PSW Practice I (PSW120) (4 credits)
This course will introduce the learner to the health care system, the health care team and the legislative regulations that govern the role of the Personal Support Worker. The legal rights and responsibilities of both the client and the PSW will be examined. Concepts will be explored that pertain to building helping relationships, solving problems, working within groups, maintaining safety, infection control, and abuse prevention. Medical terminology and standard abbreviations will be studied to enhance communication within the health care delivery system.

Health Promotion and Health Challenges I (PSW121) (3 credits)
This course will expose the learner to the theoretical concepts of health promotion, health practices, human needs, and growth and development throughout the lifespan. Understanding of these concepts will provide the learner with knowledge to provide optimum support for clients based on the client's unique needs. An introduction to caring for individuals and families experiencing ongoing health challenges is included in the course with emphasis on vision, hearing, mobility, and aphasia.

PSW Practicum I (PSW123) (9 credits)
This course will provide the learner with opportunities to apply the concepts and knowledge acquired in the classroom environment to the practice setting. The emphasis will be on meeting the needs of clients. The learner will practice basic care skills in the simulated laboratory setting, conduct community visits, and provide holistic care to clients residing in long-term care facilities.

Semester 2

Body Structure and Function II (PSW118) (3 credits)
This course is a continuation of Body Structure and Function I. Study of the remaining body systems will provide the learner with a general understanding of how the structures and functions are related to maintaining homeostasis.

Principles of PSW Practice II (PSW130) (3 credits)
This course prepares students to interpret established Nursing Care Plans, organize prioritized care, and document. A continued study of medical terminology and standard abbreviations is included. The learner will examine legal issues related to end of life care, responsibilities related to assisting clients with medication administration and the role of the PSW in home management. This course will also explore workplace issues and job search skills to prepare students for graduation.

Health Promotion and Health Challenges II (PSW131) (3 credits)
This course is a continuation of Health Promotion and Health Challenges I. The learner continues to explore the holistic care of individuals and families experiencing ongoing physical, cognitive and mental health challenges. The role of the PSW in rehabilitative, restorative and palliative care will be examined.

PSW Practicum II (PSW133) (12 credits)
This course will provide the learner with opportunities to apply the concepts and knowledge acquired in the classroom environment to the practice setting. The emphasis will be on meeting the needs of clients. The learner will practice skills in the simulated laboratory setting, work within the role of a PSW in a community agency, and provide holistic care to clients residing in long-term care facilities. These experiences will provide the learner with the opportunity to consolidate skills and knowledge at a level of a graduating PSW.


Sault College of Applied Arts & Technology 705.759.2554      1.800.461.2260
443 Northern Ave. 
Sault Ste. Marie, ON, Canada  P6A 5L3 www.saultcollege.ca