Personal Support Worker

Program Overview

Personal hygiene, mobility, preparing meals and taking essential medication are elements of daily life that most people take for granted, but there are many individuals who are unable to perform these tasks independently. The personal support worker (PSW) is the front-line care provider whose responsibilities focus on the provision of personal care and support that include activities of daily living with client populations across all institutional, community care and service settings. PSWs provide compassionate, client-centred care to enhance and maintain the quality of everyday life. Through dedicated faculty, enhanced curriculum, skills and certifications obtained in the course of study, and implementation of several interprofessional education and simulation opportunities, our students graduate well-prepared and job-ready. In fact, our recent PSW student and graduate satisfaction rate was 100 per cent (2018-2019).

Admission Requirements

Ontario Secondary School Diploma (OSSD) or Mature Student Status
Grade 12 English (C or U)

Note: this program has additional recommended admission and post-admission requirements. Please visit the Admission Requirements and Practicum tabs for further details, including information about providing a clear and current Criminal Reference Check (CRC) with Vulnerable Sector Screening (VSS).

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Tuition

Year one domestic: $2,722 (CAD)
Year one international: $13,852 (CAD)

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Semester 1 Courses

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Hands On

Practical Experience

Helping Others

Technology recommendations

To help students succeed in programs with remote learning requirements, Durham College’s IT Services department has identified minimum technology recommendations. While these are not program requirements, these suggestions will help ensure students have the right tools to support a quality remote learning experience.

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Intakes and Availability

Date	Domestic Availability	International Availability
September 2021	Closed	Closed
January 2022	Open	Open
May 2022	Open

Career Options

WHAT YOU COULD BE:

Personal Support Worker

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Program Details

Personal support workers are valued members of the health-care team. As a graduate, you will have the enhanced skills required to provide compassionate, client-focused care with daily living activities including:

Assistance with medications
Nutrition support
Mobility and restorative activities
Palliative and end of life care
Enhanced certificates including:
- GPA training (Dementia Care)
- Fundamentals of Hospice Palliative Care
- Safe Food Handling
- FEED “Facilitating effective eating in dysphagia”

In The News

Program Learning 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.

Admission Requirements

Ontario Secondary School Diploma (OSSD) or Mature Student Status
Grade 12 English (C or U)

SEPTEMBER, JANUARY AND MAY INTAKE:

Students who begin classes in September will complete Semester 1 in the fall and Semester 2 in the winter/spring semester
Students who begin classes in January will complete Semester 1 from January to April and Semester 2 from May to August.
Students who begin classes in May will complete Semester 1 from May to August and Semester 2 from September until the end of December

Courses

The courses listed below are for incoming students. If you are a current student, please refer to your program of study for the year you began your program. Your program of study can be found on MyCampus.

Semester 1

Semester 2

Courses and course descriptions are subject to change. Please note that as a result of COVID-19 the 2020-21 program of study may be modified to accommodate program delivery changes. Students should refer to their timetable for the most up-to-date course information.

Costs

Career Options

WHAT YOU COULD BE:

Personal Support Worker

WHERE YOU COULD WORK:

Community service agencies
Group homes
Home care agencies
Hospitals
Long-term care facilities
Retirement homes

Practicum

Part of your training includes the opportunity to practice what you learn through supervised placements in institutional and community settings. Practicum experiences take place throughout Durham Region and you are responsible for your transportation to and from your practicum agency.

Your practicum will enable you to:

Become job ready
Be sought out by local employers
Provide care for clients in health-care facilities under the direction and supervision of experienced faculty
Learn in a state-of-the-art simulation lab and health care learning centre
Obtain recognized certificates including Palliative Care, St. Peter’s Feeding and GPA training
Experience small group instruction in practicum and laboratory settings
Write a comprehensive exam

PRE-PLACEMENT REQUIREMENTS

Please note: There are costs associated with Electronic Student Permit Checking (ESPC), immunizations, lab tests and certifications. Be sure to keep all of your receipts for income tax purposes. These costs include:

Service fees for Verified, our documentation collection and ESPC verification partner.
Costs to complete mandatory immunizations, lab tests, and certifications.

It is required that students have completed the ESPC with Verified to be eligible for the field placement component of this program. You must (at your expense) provide:

A clear and current Criminal Reference Check (CRC) with Vulnerable Sector Screening (VSS). If you cannot provide a clear CRC with VSS, you may not be accepted for placement by a field placement agency. CRCs with VSS must be obtained from your local police station. You may be required to obtain additional CRCs with VSS to meet field placement agency requirements
Current Level C CPR from a recognized provider and mask fit testing from a recognized provider.
Current Emergency First Aid Certification from a recognized provider
Entry immunization form completed by a health-care provider

Links:

Program Transfer, Degree Completion and Additional Credentials

Durham College also offers degree completion opportunities with a number of Canadian and international institutions.

Please visit our pathways page to learn more about how you can transfer your credits towards a degree.

Technology Recommendations

To help students have the best remote learning experience possible, Durham College’s IT Services department has identified technology recommendations for each program based on course needs and software requirements. While not required, students may want to consider these suggestions if they are purchasing a computer or laptop for the upcoming academic year.

Processor: i3
RAM: 4GB
Storage: 256GB SSD
Operating System: Microsoft Windows 10 Professional or Education x64 SP1
Internet Browser: Internet Explorer 11 or Google Chrome (newest version) or Firefox (newest version)
Network Adapter: 802.11ac 2.4/5 GHz wireless adapter
Camera: Webcam/built-in camera
Internet connection

Questions regarding technology recommendations can be directed to the IT Service Desk or the school office.

Program Overview

Admission Requirements

Tuition

Semester 1 Courses

Technology recommendations

Intakes and Availability

Career Options

WHAT YOU COULD BE:

Program Details

In The News

Program Learning Outcomes

Admission Requirements

Recommended

SEPTEMBER, JANUARY AND MAY INTAKE:

Courses

Semester 1

Semester 2

Costs

Career Options

WHAT YOU COULD BE:

WHERE YOU COULD WORK:

Practicum

PRE-PLACEMENT REQUIREMENTS

Program Transfer, Degree Completion and Additional Credentials

Technology Recommendations

Personal Support Worker in the news

Helpful Resources

Have a Question? Attend a Program Information Webinar

Financial Aid Information

Graduate Employment Report [PDF]

Have a Question?
Attend a Program Information Webinar