Career Prospects for Personal Support Worker Courses

Personal support workers (PSWs) assist people in their day-to-day activities such as taking medicines, getting out of bed, ensuring personal hygiene, bathing and dressing, arranging social outings and recreational activities. Their duties may also include home management such as, shopping, cleaning and laundry and taking care of children. They are also expected to bring positivity in the lives of their patients by talking to them, listening to their concerns and reading them a book.

The precise job roles and responsibilities depend upon the organization or setting they work with. Typically they are employed with residential facilities, long term care institutions, community support agencies, nursing homes, chronic care facilities, hospitals, schools and in private settings such as clients within their homes.

Career Prospects for Personal Support Workers

The demand for personal support workers is anticipated almost double in the next decade. The reason for this is dramatic demographic shift - aging baby boomers generation. The shortage of PSWs in Canada is already being experienced. The coming years may widen the gap between their demand and availability.

Healthcare facilities are now keen in hiring qualified professionals who have undergone a formal education and hands-on-experience to improve their patient care services. The demand for trained professionals in personal support is more than ever with a new emphasis on non-institutional care.

Becoming a Personal Support Worker

Students having a keen interest in serving people and community may choose to become trained personal support workers. You can enroll in a personal support worker course if you want to make difference in the lives of countless people in need - especially seniors, physically and mentally challenged children and anyone suffering from serious illness.

A personal support worker program typically runs for one year and can be taken up by interested students after completing their secondary school education. The program aims to prepare you with the knowledge and skills necessary to provide care and assistance to people in need. You get to learn about complete home and health related services required by clients with disabilities, cognitive impairment, chronic illnesses and elderly people.

You are taught to assist these people in leading active and fulfilling lives. The course provides foundational knowledge on anatomy, personal support, communication, mental health and development stages and alterations in health in the first semester.

In the second semester, you are taught how to provide support to clients in palliative care. You also undergo extensive practical experience for 15 weeks working in hospitals or long term care institutions. You not only get to learn latest practices and policies in the field but also gain an understanding about how to work with people and assist them.

In order to enroll for the course, you need a secondary school diploma, English Grade 12 C or University, annual clear police check with vulnerable sector screening and completed immunization requirements.

The job of personal support workers is very challenging and may require attending 8-10 clients a day and travelling to their homes. Only those students who are genuinely interested in community service should go for it.