Personal Support Worker

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Courses - January 2022

Level 1

Course details

Conestoga 101
CON0101

Description: This self-directed course focuses on introducing new students to the supports, services, and opportunities available at Conestoga College. By the end of this course, students will understand the academic expectations of the Conestoga learning environment, as well as the supports available to ensure their academic success. Students will also be able to identify on-campus services that support their health and wellness, and explore ways to get actively involved in the Conestoga community through co-curricular learning opportunities.
  • Hours: 1
  • Credits: 0
  • Pre-Requisites:
  • CoRequisites:

Supportive Care Theory and Practice
PSW1315

Description: This course intentionally introduces the support worker student to theoretical concepts and principles of supportive person-centred care including age-related changes and the development of relevant knowledge, attitudes, skills and judgment including evidence informed practice, to assist residents/patients/clients across the lifespan with personal care and routine activities of daily living. Students will be given experiential learning opportunities to practice application of the skills from the theory. The student will be provided opportunities to practice and demonstrate a resident-centered approach, professionalism, accountability, safety, critical thinking, and communication skills while providing clients with skin care, positioning, mobility, and assisting with high risk eating. Infection control, body mechanics, and safety techniques will be applied throughout the experience. The student will continue to develop an understanding of interprofessionalism related to the role of the support worker and the health care team while providing supportive care. Related processes that influence supportive care are incorporated from Structure and Function of the Body for Person Centered Care.
  • Hours: 106
  • Credits: 5
  • Pre-Requisites:
  • CoRequisites:

Structure and Function of the Body for Person Centered Care
PSW1365

Description: This course introduces the support worker student to the normal structures and functions of the human body as well as related alterations in functioning. The body systems, medical terminology and abbreviations, and age-related changes will be covered which provide the student with the foundation for understanding and describing the physiology behind the common diseases, disorders and conditions. The course will explore the principles of person-centred care, health promotion, rehabilitation and restorative care with a focus on the support worker’s role in supporting family members and care partners and assisting clients who are experiencing alterations in functioning. Related communication skills and how to maintain a supportive relationship with families, clients, and the interprofessional team using a person centred care approach are addressed.
  • Hours: 86
  • Credits: 6
  • Pre-Requisites:
  • CoRequisites:

Professional Practice
PSW1375

Description: This course introduces the support worker student to the foundational concept of being a professional including the role, responsibilities, accountability and scope of practice of the support worker as a member of the interprofessional team working in various health care settings. This course presents strategies for being a successful college student. Relevant workplace legislation and the importance of following established policies and procedures, ethical principles and professional boundaries in a variety of health care settings will be discussed. The student will be introduced to the roles of the interprofessional health care team with a focus on collaboration using a professional approach to provide supportive person-centered care across the lifespan. Current issues and trends in the health care delivery system and their impact on the support worker role will be examined. A focus on communication and interpersonal skills, including observing, reporting, documenting and transferring accountability essential to establishing and maintaining effective helping relationships with interprofessional team members, clients and family members will be discussed. Topics of neglect and abuse and appropriate responses for the support worker will be explored. Problem solving, critical thinking, and reflection will be incorporated as themes throughout the course.
  • Hours: 49
  • Credits: 3
  • Pre-Requisites:
  • CoRequisites:

Level 2

Course details

Career Readiness for the Personal Support Worker
CDEV1270

Description: This course provides the PSW student with the required tools in the job application process to be career ready and begin work experience. The student will examine strategies for accessing available supports and opportunities related to the job search, cover letter and resume creation, and interviewing skills. Successful completion of this course is a requirement for starting Professional Care Practice within the PSW program.
  • Hours: 8
  • Credits: 1
  • Pre-Requisites:
  • CoRequisites:

College Reading & Writing Skills
COMM1085

Description: This course introduces students to the reading, writing, and critical thinking skills needed for academic and workplace success. Students will analyse a variety of texts and apply the steps of planning, writing, and revising to produce writing that meets the expectations of selected audiences and purposes. The course prepares students for college-level writing tasks, research, and documentation by asking them to produce clear, informed, and purposeful documents relevant to both academic and professional contexts.
  • Hours: 42
  • Credits: 3
  • Pre-Requisites:
  • CoRequisites:

Professional Care Practice, Community and Long Term Care
PSW1685

Description: This course provides the learner with opportunities to apply their knowledge and skills acquired throughout the program to a practical health care setting experience. The student will apply a resident centred approach, professionalism, accountability, safety, critical thinking, and communication skills while providing client care in the health care setting. The students will participate as a member of the interprofessional team to deepen their understanding of the PSW role in providing client centred care.
  • Hours: 100
  • Credits: 5
  • Pre-Requisites: PSW1315 OR PSW1317 AND PSW1365 OR PSW1367 AND PSW1375 OR PSW1377
  • CoRequisites:

Community and Palliative Care
PSW1695

Description: This course will deepen the student’s knowledge of person-centered care for the medically complex client living in the community setting. The student will gain a deeper knowledge of concepts of aging in place, transitions in care, and ethical considerations as they pertain to providing care in the community. This course will also broaden the student’s understanding of the social determinants of health and health inequities influence on community care. The palliative component of the course prepares the student to provide culturally relevant palliative and end-of-life care to support clients, families, and significant others. Concepts of loss and grief, non-pharmacological person-centered comfort measures, and the rights of the client, family and significant other in decision making related to goals of care will be explored. The PSW student will explore the role in providing person-centered care for the palliative client, including the process of dying and preparation for death with an emphasis on the use of evidence-based assessment tools, observation, reporting and collaboration with the interprofessional team. The PSW student will have an opportunity to explore their own ideas and experiences with death and dying in preparation for their role as a care provider. Integrated within this course is the introductory certification of Fundamentals of Hospice Palliative Care* and Gentle Persuasive Approach.
  • Hours: 68
  • Credits: 5
  • Pre-Requisites: PSW1315 OR PSW1645 AND PSW1317 AND PSW1365 OR PSW1615 AND PSW1367 AND PSW1375 OR PSW1625 AND PSW1377
  • CoRequisites:

Pregraduate Consolidation
PSW1705

Description: This course will provide the PSW student with a pregraduate consolidation experience in a practical health care setting to facilitate the transition of the student from an emerging professional to a proficient professional. The student will participate as a member of the interprofessional team and apply and integrate knowledge, behaviour and strategies gained in previous learning experiences.
  • Hours: 100
  • Credits: 5
  • Pre-Requisites: PSW1315 OR PSW1317 AND PSW1365 OR PSW1367 AND PSW1375 OR PSW1377
  • CoRequisites:

Supportive Care Theory and Practice II
PSW1725

Description: The student will expand on the role of the PSW as it relates to supporting family members and assisting clients with complex care needs building on the principles of person-centered care. This course will extend the student’s relevant knowledge, attitudes, skills and judgement using evidence informed practice to apply concepts to a more complex level of care across the spectrum of care settings. The importance of the interprofessional team in relation to supporting the client will be discussed. Students will be given experiential learning opportunities to practice application of the skills required to assist the resident/patient/client with medications, taking and recording vital signs, enteral nutrition, catheter care, and intravenous care. The student will be provided opportunities to practice a resident-centered approach, professionalism, accountability, safety, critical thinking, and communication skills while demonstrating client care. Infection control, body mechanics, and safety practices will continue to be applied throughout the experience. Students will be evaluated on their demonstration of practice application.
  • Hours: 60
  • Credits: 4
  • Pre-Requisites: PSW1315 OR PSW1317 AND PSW1365 OR PSW1367 AND PSW1375 OR PSW1377
  • CoRequisites:

Program outcomes

  1. 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.
  2. 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.
  3. 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.
  4. 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.
  5. 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.
  6. 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.
  7. 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.
  8. 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.
  9. 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.
  10. 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.
  11. 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
  12. 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.
  13. 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.
  14. Use identified approaches and best practices to support positive and safe behaviour in clients experiencing cognitive impairment, mental health challenges and/or responsive behaviours.
  15. Apply knowledge of and commitment to continuous quality improvement and change initiatives, including the responsibility of ongoing and continuing professional development.
  16. Make use of self-care strategies to manage personal and professional stressors in accordance with client and employer expectations