Personal Support Worker
A Personal Support Worker (PSW) is a health care worker that provides care to those that are not able to care for themselves. This includes
seniors, individuals with physical disabilities and individuals with mental disabilities.
They are caring support providers to help people with the activities of daily living to maintain their dignity, whether they are living at home or in long-term care facilities. In addition, PSW function as integral members of the health care team which allows them to communicate with the clients, their families and the health care teams. The following are a PSW's major duties and responsibilities:
Personal Support Worker Job Description- GENERAL
The PSW job description will always vary but in general, some of the common duties are:
1) Following the care plan, observing and reporting any substantial findings and/or changes in patient/resident/client’s behavior to the
appropriate registered member of the healthcare team.
2) Working under the supervision of a Registered Healthcare Professional such as a Registered Nurse (RN) or a Registered Practical Nurse
(RPN)
3) Performing tasks delegated to them (only if they are trained to perform the delegated task
4) Assisting with ambulation, positioning and transferring using mechanical lifts such as a Hoyer lift.
5) Assisting or providing total personal care such as toileting,bathing and perineal care.
6) Assisting with eating, dressing and grooming.
7) Assisting nursing staff by answering call bells (In Hospitals and Long-Term care homes)
8) Performing sitter duty or patient watch for confused patients in clinical care settings.
9) Computer or paper documentation of Activities of Daily Living (ADL’s) and other findings.
10) Reporting behavioral and clinical changes to a Registered Nurse, Registered Practical Nurse, Resource Nurse or Manager.
11) Self actualization by helping patient/resident/client to reach maximum potential.
12) Besides the above listed duties that a PSW can carry out, the Regulated Health Professions Act (RHPA) sets out guidelines that allow
unregulated health professionals to perform certain controlled acts.
Personal Support Worker Job Description – Community Based Settings
When working such settings, PSW jobs include:
1) Assistance with toileting, bathing and dressing
2) Preparing meals
3) Walking the family dog
4) Grocery shopping and
5) Generally assist the client with any activity they would do if able to live independently.
ersonal Support Worker Job Description – Facility Based Settings
In a clinical setting, PSW’s job depends upon the policies and procedures of the institution. Some of the typical tasks associated with such
settings are:
1) Assist nurses and physical therapy staff with the personal care of patients and physical therapy goals.
2) In long term care: Assist in dementia care by doing cognitive activities.
3) Paper or computer documentation
The work is always closely supervised by either a Registered Nurse (RN) or a Registered Practical Nurse (RPN).
seniors, individuals with physical disabilities and individuals with mental disabilities.
They are caring support providers to help people with the activities of daily living to maintain their dignity, whether they are living at home or in long-term care facilities. In addition, PSW function as integral members of the health care team which allows them to communicate with the clients, their families and the health care teams. The following are a PSW's major duties and responsibilities:
Personal Support Worker Job Description- GENERAL
The PSW job description will always vary but in general, some of the common duties are:
1) Following the care plan, observing and reporting any substantial findings and/or changes in patient/resident/client’s behavior to the
appropriate registered member of the healthcare team.
2) Working under the supervision of a Registered Healthcare Professional such as a Registered Nurse (RN) or a Registered Practical Nurse
(RPN)
3) Performing tasks delegated to them (only if they are trained to perform the delegated task
4) Assisting with ambulation, positioning and transferring using mechanical lifts such as a Hoyer lift.
5) Assisting or providing total personal care such as toileting,bathing and perineal care.
6) Assisting with eating, dressing and grooming.
7) Assisting nursing staff by answering call bells (In Hospitals and Long-Term care homes)
8) Performing sitter duty or patient watch for confused patients in clinical care settings.
9) Computer or paper documentation of Activities of Daily Living (ADL’s) and other findings.
10) Reporting behavioral and clinical changes to a Registered Nurse, Registered Practical Nurse, Resource Nurse or Manager.
11) Self actualization by helping patient/resident/client to reach maximum potential.
12) Besides the above listed duties that a PSW can carry out, the Regulated Health Professions Act (RHPA) sets out guidelines that allow
unregulated health professionals to perform certain controlled acts.
Personal Support Worker Job Description – Community Based Settings
When working such settings, PSW jobs include:
1) Assistance with toileting, bathing and dressing
2) Preparing meals
3) Walking the family dog
4) Grocery shopping and
5) Generally assist the client with any activity they would do if able to live independently.
ersonal Support Worker Job Description – Facility Based Settings
In a clinical setting, PSW’s job depends upon the policies and procedures of the institution. Some of the typical tasks associated with such
settings are:
1) Assist nurses and physical therapy staff with the personal care of patients and physical therapy goals.
2) In long term care: Assist in dementia care by doing cognitive activities.
3) Paper or computer documentation
The work is always closely supervised by either a Registered Nurse (RN) or a Registered Practical Nurse (RPN).