Personal Support Worker

Open the Door to Endless Career Opportunities with Personal Support Worker Training

November 03, 2017

psw helping patient

When it comes to providing essential care to Canadians, Personal Support Workers (PSWs) play a vital role throughout Ontario and across the country. In fact, according to the Government of Canada, approximately 84,400 people work in this role in the province of Ontario alone.

Even with so many PSWs currently employed, many experts predict that demand for more PSWs will only continue to rise. As Canada’s population ages and needs more and more attentive care, the need for qualified professionals is only expected to grow.

Completing training to become a personal support worker can allow you to join the ranks of these much-needed and valued professionals. With a certificate in personal support work, you can open the door to endless opportunities. Here are just some of the places where you can work after graduation.

Long-Term Care Facilities Employ Many Graduates of Personal Support Worker Training

Long-term care facilities have become an important mainstay in Canada’s healthcare sector, providing essential support to many seniors and clients with disabilities. Working in long-term care facilities as a PSW can include helping clients get ready in the morning, assisting clients with meals, and monitoring client behaviour as well as reporting changes to nursing and other staff.

PSW holds a patient's hand
Personal support workers in long-term care facilities often develop close bonds with their clients

Working closely with the same clients allows PSWs to develop close ties with those in their care. Concerts, special holiday dinners, crafts, activities, trips, and more are also common in long-term care facilities. As such, working as a PSW in this setting means that no two days will be the same. Whether helping clients get to a much-anticipated social gathering, or simply providing quality day-to-day care, graduates of healthcare school who go on to work at long-term care facilities truly feel like part of a community.

PSWs Can Also Provide Essential Care to Clients in Hospitals

The busy environment of a hospital might be the ideal career path for students who want a challenge. PSWs working in hospitals can be found in a number of different departments, including rehabilitation, palliative care, mental health, and more. They work closely with other healthcare professionals like nurses and doctors, providing care to patients from all walks of life. For ambitious students who want a challenge, working in a hospital could be the ideal option.

Support worker cares for the patient.
PSWs can be found working in many different departments at hospitals

Graduates of PSW Courses Looking for Flexibility May Want to Work in Clients’ Homes

Part of what makes pursuing personal support worker training so rewarding is that it can open the door to a career that offers flexibility. Careers in personal support work are very different from your typical 9-5, which is especially true for graduates who choose to provide in-home care for clients. For PSWs who visit client homes, the option to work part-time can be a big benefit.

 

PSW caring for a patient
Providing care in clients’ homes is another option for graduates of PSW courses

PSWs working in this capacity may visit several clients during their workday, helping with bathing and personal grooming as well as preparing meals, taking care of linen and laundry, doing light cleaning, and being a caring confidante. For many clients, a visit from their PSW can be the highlight of their day, and that personal connection can make working in this role a truly rewarding experience. For students who want career stability, flexibility, and the chance to make a difference, working as a PSW can be the perfect option.

Would you like to tap into the many options that come with a career in personal support work?

Contact Medix College to learn more about our PSW course!

Visit Our Blog Directory