Personal Support Worker(PSW) :-

Priorities of the Personal Support Worker

What is a Personal Support Worker (PSW)

What is a PSW?
Personal Support Workers provide services to people who need help with their daily needs. As a Personal Support Worker, you may be supervised by a nurse or other medical professional. Legislation, employer’s policies, and the resident/client's condition will influence how you perform your job and how much supervision you will need. Once you gain the required experience, you will find that you are able to more easily adapt to your surroundings.

Ultimately, the goal of the Personal support worker is to improve the individuals overall quality of life and assist them with their Activities of Daily Living (ADLs). All care needs to be provided in a kind, sensitive, and understanding manner.

While tending to the resident or client's physical needs, you can also help to relieve loneliness, provide comfort, encourage independence, and promote the person’s self-image. As a Personal Support Worker, you enable many people to maintain their independence by living at home.

PSW's should always conduct themselves in a professional manner and also show compassion and understanding. As a Personal support Worker, you have the opportunity to bring a positive outlook and sunshine into these people's lives every day, and that gift is never-ending!

The Personal Support Worker in Canada provides a range of health care services in a variety of settings: long-term care facilities; providing home care in the community; in adult day programs; supportive housing settings; group homes; hospitals; educational facilities and; many other settings.

The Range of Services a Personal Support Worker provides:
Home management (Such as shopping, house cleaning and meal preparation)
Personal care (such as dressing, personal hygiene, mobility and other routine activities of living in accordance with the Regulated Health Professions Act)
Family responsibilities (such as routine caregiving to children)
Social and recreational activities.

Education
Personal Support Workers in Ontario/Canada may enter into a two semester course in College. It is a single program that consolidates and replaces the former Health Care Aid program, Home Support Worker Levels I, II and III, Personal Attendant and Respite Worker training programs.

Personal Support Workers are an unregulated health care worker.
There is no recognized or required certification or registration examination for the Personal Support Worker. There is no regulating body for graduates, however, the scope of practice is determined by the Regulated Health Professions Act.

Summary
The Personal Support Worker is someone the residents/clients interact with on a daily basis. They are the workers the people know best. PSWs are very important to the medical team. They are the first to notice problems with skin care, transferring, bowel or urinary problems, cognitive deficiencies, and overall health. PSWs are the first on the scene and the last to leave. Many PSWs save lives. It's a hard job but it's also rewarding.