Program Overview

NACC Personal Support Worker 2022

Overview

Epic College of Technology designed this program to teach and train students to support services to people living at home, long-term care centers, nursing and retirement homes, hospitals, rehab centers or any other health care facilities. This program also educates students to communicate with clients, families and members of the health care team. Students will also study methods to safely care for the different clients who may experience emotional, physical or behavior challenges. Upon completing the practicum, students will gain experience in the field of health care that will help them to build their future careers.

Admission Requirements

• Student has an Ontario Secondary School Diploma or equivalent
• Is 18 years of age or older on or before the program begins and can pass a qualifying test that has been approved by the Superintendent

Duration

• 700 hours

Diploma Program Highlights

• PSW Foundations
• Safety and Mobility
• Body Systems
• Assisting with Personal Hygiene
• Abuse and Neglect
• Household Management, Nutrition and Hydration
• Care Planning, Restorative Care, Documentation, Working in the Community
• Assisting the Family, Growth and Development
• Assisting the Dying Person
• Assisting with Medications
• Cognitive and Mental Health Issues and Brain Injuries
• Health Conditions

Career Opportunities

• Homecare Personal Support Worker
• Personal Care Aide
• Health Care Aide
• Health Care Assistant
• Support Services Attendant
• Attendant Service Worker
• Senior Care Provider
• Guest Attendant
• Resident Attendant
• Client Care Attendant
• Patient Care Assistant
• Home Support Worker
• Personal Care Attendant
• Caregiver
• Community Personal Support Worker
• Program Manager Personal Support Worker
• Senior Care Provider

Program Outcomes

Upon completion of this course students will be able to:

• Work in home, hospitals, rehab centers, etc., where PSW can support clients in activities of daily living including mobility, hygiene, food preparation, light housekeeping, and so on
• Apply their knowledge and skills to support people with developmental disabilities
• Provide experience in assisting in the development and implementation of Behavioural Support Plans in co-operation with support networks
• Look after and assist senior persons with health complications in private homes, hospitals, rehab centers, etc. This involves constant communication with family members and multiple health care providers
• Provide home care to physically disabled children and adults. This job requires the knowledge of common cognitive and physical conditions of the clients

Curriculum

PSW Foundations

• Lesson 1.1: Communication with the Health Care Team
• Lesson 1.2: Effective Communication Skills
• Lesson 1.3: Time Management
• Lesson 1.4: Introduction to Job Search
• Lesson 1.5: Health Care Team
• Lesson 1.6: Applied Legislation (Sources of Rights)
• Lesson 1.7: Problem Solving/Critical Thinking
• Lesson 1.8: 24 Hour Clock
• Lesson 1.9: Terminology
• Lesson 1.10: The Family and Visitors
• Lesson 1.11: Understanding the Client/Consumer
• Lesson 1.12: Personal Support Worker Role
• Lesson 1.13: Abraham Maslows Hierarchy of Needs
• Lesson 1.14: Stress
• Lesson 1.15: Medical Abbreviations
• Lesson 1.16: Workplace Legislation
• Lesson 1.17: Workplace Settings
• Lesson 1.18: Consumer/Client Rights
• Lesson 1.19: Medical Terminology
• Lesson 1.20: Sexual Harassment, Racism, Discrimination
• Lesson 1.21: Prevention and Management of Angry Episodes

Safety and Mobility

• Lesson 2.1: Promoting a Safe Environment
• Lesson 2.2: Preventing Falls
• Lesson 2.3: Burns and Burn Prevention
• Lesson 2.4: Suffocation
• Lesson 2.5: Restraints
• Lesson 2.6: Fire Safety
• Lesson 2.7: Poison Prevention
• Lesson 2.8: Preventing Equipment Accidents
• Lesson 2.9: W.H.M.I.S
• Lesson 2.10: Infection Control
• Lesson 2.11: Documentation of Unusual Incidents
• Lesson 2.12: Overview of the Musculoskeletal System
• Lesson 2.13: Overview of the Nervous System
• Lesson 2.14: Body Mechanics (theory and practical)
• Lesson 2.15: Positioning the Person (theory and practical)
• Lesson 2.16: Ambulation (theory and practical)
• Lesson 2.17: Wheelchairs
• Lesson 2.18: Assistive/Prosthetic Devices
• Lesson 2.19: Exercise and Activity

Body Systems

• Lesson 3.1: Musculoskeletal System
• Lesson 3.2: Nervous System
• Lesson 3.3: Digestive System
• Lesson 3.4: Integumentary System
• Lesson 3.5: Reproductive System
• Lesson 3.6: Respiratory System
• Lesson 3.7: Cardiovascular System
• Lesson 3.8: Endocrine System
• Lesson 3.9: Urinary System

Assisting with Personal Hygiene

• Lesson 4.1: Integumentary System Review
• Lesson 4.2: Bed Making
• Lesson 4.3: Personal Care and Grooming
• Lesson 4.4: Urinary Elimination
• Lesson 4.5: Bowel Elimination

Abuse and Neglect

• Lesson 5.1: Types of Abuse
• Lesson 5.2: Overview of Abuse
• Lesson 5.3: Client/Resident Aggression

Household Management, Nutrition and Hydration

• Lesson 6.1: Overview of Digestive System
• Lesson 6.2: Basic Nutrition and Meal Preparation
• Lesson 6.3: Assisting a Person with Eating
• Lesson 6.4: I.V. Therapy
• Lesson 6.5: Household Management

Care Planning, Restorative Care, Documentation, Working in the Community

• Lesson 7.1: Rehabilitation of the Whole Person
• Lesson 7.2: Assisting a Person to Practice Skills
• Lesson 7.3: Admissions, Transfers and Discharges
• Lesson 7.4: Height and Weight
• Lesson 7.5: Measuring Vital Signs
• Lesson 7.6: Charting and Computer Fundamentals for PSWs
• Lesson 7.7: Applied Skills Review
• Lesson 7.8: Working in the Community

Assisting the Family, Growth and Development

• Lesson 8.1: Socialization
• Lesson 8.2: Growth and Development
• Lesson 8.3: Care for the Older Person
• Lesson 8.4: Assisting the New Mother/Caring for the Newborn
• Lesson 8.5: Development Disabilities
• Lesson 8.6: Assisting a Child Client in a Family Environment
• Lesson 8.7: Review

Assisting the Dying Person

• Lesson 9.1: Changes In the Way We are Dying-and Integrating a Palliative Approach
• Lesson 9.2: Preparing to Care for the Dying Person and Family
• Lesson 9.3: Tools to Help Gather Information and Communication with the Team
• Lesson 9.4: Physical Comfort – Part II
• Lesson 9.5: Providing Psychosocial Support
• Lesson 9.6: Last Days and Hours
• Lesson 9.7: Caring for You

Assisting with Medications

• Lesson 10.1: Legal Considerations when Assisting with Medication
• Lesson 10.2: Drug Classifications
• Lesson 10.3: Routes of Administration
• Lesson 10.4: Drug Effects
• Lesson 10.5: Assisting with Medications

Cognitive and Mental Health Issues and Brain Injuries

• Lesson 11.1: Review of Nervous System
• Lesson 11.2: Nervous System Disorders
• Lesson 11.3: Mental Health Issues
• Lesson 11.4: Confusion and Dementia
• Lesson 11.5: Acquired Brain Injury
• Lesson 11.6: Stroke

Health Conditions

• Lesson 12.1: Overview
• Lesson 12.2: Tumours
• Lesson 12.3: Musculoskeletal Disorders: Definitions, Signs and Symptoms, Treatment/Care of the Person
• Lesson 12.4: Respiratory Disorders: Definitions, Signs and Symptoms, Treatment/Care of the Person
• Lesson 12.5: Cardiovascular Disorders: Definitions, Signs and Symptoms, Treatment/Care of the Person
• Lesson 12.6: Endocrine System Disorders: Definitions, Signs and Symptoms, Treatment/Care of the Person
• Lesson 12.7: Urinary System Disorders: Definitions, Signs and Symptoms, Treatment/Care of the Person
• Lesson 12.8: Urinary System – Procedures
• Lesson 12.9: Gastrointestinal System Disorders: Definitions, Signs and Symptoms, Treatment/Care of the Person
• Lesson 12.10: Communicable Diseases: Definitions, Signs and Symptoms, Treatment/Care of the Person
• Lesson 12.11: Sexually Transmitted Diseases: Definitions, Signs and Symptoms, Treatment/Care of the Person
• Lesson 12.12: Hearing Problems
• Lesson 12.13: Vision Problems
• Lesson 12.14: Heat and Cold Applications
• Lesson 12.15: Oxygen Needs
• Lesson 12.16: Review

Clinical Placement (Facility)

• Lesson 13.1: Refer to the Skills Passbook in Appendix I for details

Clinical Placement (Community)

• Lesson 14.1: Refer to the Skills Passbook in Appendix I for details

Gentle Persuasive Approaches in Dementia Care

• Lesson 15.1: I Am Not My Disease
• Lesson 15.2: Progress of The Disease
• Lesson 15.3: Confidence Building
• Lesson 15.4: Respectful Self-Protection