Help with personal care can mean the difference between people living independently and giving up their homes. The demand for personal support workers is greater than ever and keeps growing in order to meet the needs of a retiring population. Make a difference every day by helping people live with independence and dignity.
Find your career
Personal support workers provide supportive care to clients who are experiencing physical, cognitive, emotional and behavioural challenges. PSWs work under the direction of both the client and regulated health care professionals such as registered nurses and registered practical nurses.
- Opportunities working in hospitals, long-term care facilities, retirement homes, community agencies providing support in the client’s home and self-employment.
- Graduates are ready for employment in less than one year with no further qualifying exam or certification required.
Our grads get great jobs
- Personal Support Worker, Hastings Centennial Manor
- Personal Support Worker, Canadian Red Cross
- Personal Support Worker, Westgate Lodge
- Personal Support Worker, Saint Elizabeth Health Care
- Personal Support Worker, VON
Is it for you?
Personal support workers are caring professionals. People who thrive in this career:
- Really like interaction with people, talking and listening
- Are comfortable working as part of a team
- Come from a variety of backgrounds
- Enjoy helping others
What employers say
"I feel strongly connected to the Loyalist PSW program. The coordinators and faculty members are excellent to work with and their genuine goal of helping their students be successful is always foremost. The placement opportunities we provide at the Valley Manor Nursing Home are excellent learning opportunties for the students - and helpful to us. Working with the students, we have the opportunity to assess who would be a good fit on our team. From one class alone we hired four new graduates."
Gail Yantha
Valley Manor Nursing Home, Barry's Bay
Experiential learning
In this hands-on program, you will learn to effectively support clients in their day-to-day activities, emphasizing trust, respect and individual choice:
- Learn in small clinical and lab groups under the guidance of experienced faculty.
- Practise monitoring and recording changes to clients’ conditions in Loyalist’s Human Simulation Lab with manikins simulating realistic scenarios.
- Learn from guest speakers about a wide variety of topics pertinent to supporting residents in long-term care and clients in their own homes.
- Learn how to shop for clients and provide nutritious meals on a balanced budget.
- Learn and practise skills in a virtual learning environment (VLE) as an avatar.
- Learning combines theory, laboratory practice and clinical placement all in the same week so students can apply what they’ve learned in a real-life setting.
- Students have completed placements with Belmont Long-Term Care Facility, Moira Place, Hastings Manor, EJ McQuigge Lodge, Trent Valley Lodge Nursing Home, Pine Meadow Nursing Home, Hastings Centennial Manor, Helen Henderson Care Centre Lodge, the Victorian Order of Nurses, Canadian Red Cross, ParaMed and St. Elizabeth’s Belleville.
Outstanding faculty make the difference
- Teachers are registered nurses with extensive experience working with all members of the health care team in hospital, long-term care and community settings.
- Professors participate in ongoing professional development, and many continue to work in their field, keeping their skills up-to-the-minute.
- First Year - Semester One
- PSWP1012 Human Body in Health & Illness
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This course will focus on gaining a basic knowledge of the structure and function of the human body as well as supporting individuals and families experiencing alterations in their health across the lifespan, including culturally relevant palliative and end-of-life care.
- PSWP1015 Role of the Personal Support Worker
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This course will focus on the role of the PSW working within an interdisciplinary team providing holistic health care to individuals and families across the lifespan. Trends and issues related to the delivery of health care in Ontario and Canada including ethical and legal issues will be covered.
- PSWP1014 Safe & Comfortable Environment
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This course will focus on gaining knowledge of supporting and promoting a safe and comfortable environment for individuals and their families across the lifespan.
- PSWP1016 Supportive Care & Activities Laboratory
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This course will provide the PSW student with opportunities to develop the skills required to provide support for activities of daily living (ADLs) and instrumental activities of daily living (IADLs) to individuals and families cross the lifespan in a variety of settings and within a multidisciplinary team.
Co-requisite: PSWP 1014
- COMM1062 Workplace English
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This course will focus on the development of communication skills required for the health care workplace. Skills include: writing structure and style according to APA format, reading comprehension, medical terminology, health care documentation, interpersonal/team communications, digital literacy, and portfolio preparation.
- First Year - Semester Two
- PSWP1018 Personal Support Worker Integrative Theory
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This course will focus on integrating the knowledge, skills and attitudes gained through completion of the all Semester One PSW courses. PSW students will be provided with information and resources aimed at successfully transitioning from PSW student to PSW graduate in a multidisciplinary health care team in a variety of settings.
Prerequisite: COMM 1062, PSWP 1012, PSWP 1014, PSWP 1015, PSWP 1016
- WKPL1024 Personal Support Worker Practicum 1
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This course provides the PSW student with the opportunity to develop and implement the knowledge, skills and attitudes required to work within an interdisciplinary team providing support and care to individuals and families across the lifespan in a long-term care facility while under the direct supervision of a clinical instructor.
Prerequisite: COMM 1062, PSWP 1012, PSWP 1014, PSWP 1015, PSWP 1016
- WKPL1025 Personal Support Worker Practicum 2
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The PSW student will, under the daily guidance of a PSW preceptor and with support from the faculty advisor of the PSW program, be provided with the opportunity to develop and implement the skills required to provide support and care to individuals and families across the lifespan and within an interdisciplinary team in the community setting, including homes and retirement residences.
Prerequisite: COMM 1062, PSWP 1012, PSWP 1014, PSWP 1015, PSWP 1016
Co-requisite: PSWP 1018, PSWP 1019, WKPL 1024
- WKPL1007 Personal Support Worker Practicum 3
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The PSW student will, under the daily guidance of a PSW preceptor and with support from the faculty advisor of the PSW program, be provided with the opportunity to develop and implement the skills required to provide support and care to individuals and families across the lifespan and within an interdisciplinary team in a long-term care facility.
Prerequisite: COMM 1062, PSWP 1012, PSWP 1014, PSWP 1015, PSWP 1016
Co-requisite: PSWP 1018, PSWP 1019, WKPL 1024
- PSWP1019 Supporting Mental Health
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This course will focus on gaining a basic knowledge of utilizing identified approaches and best practices to support positive and safe behaviour within an interdisciplinary team to individuals and families across the lifespan who are experiencing an alteration in mental health challenges, and/or cognitive functioning and responsive behaviours.
*Courses subject to change.
How much will it cost?
Approximate costs (2023 – 24)
- Domestic Tuition: $2,722.08
- Full-Time Ancillary Fees:* $1,308
- Total: $4,030.08
Additional costs, such as supplies, travel and parking, may be incurred during workplace visits, etc.
*Fees related to programs that are less than or greater than two semesters will be adjusted accordingly. Fees are subject to change. Please visit the Tuition and Fees web page for a list of the many services, activities and items included within the ancillary fees, and the related policies.
Bursaries and financial assistance
Loyalist College has a number of scholarships, bursaries and academic awards available to students. Our Financial Aid Office can help you explore your options, or assist you with a student loan.
Admission requirements
Required academic preparation
- OSSD/OSSGD or equivalent with courses at the general, advanced, (C), (U) or (M) level, AND
- Grade 12 English (C) level or equivalent
OR
Additional requirements
- Standard First Aid, Level “C” CPR certification.
- Clear, current Criminal Record Check and Vulnerable Sector Check.
- Written documentation of immunization against certain communicable diseases is required prior to clinical placement.
Prior learning assessment and recognition
Applicants with work experiences or other types of non-credentialed learning may be eligible for credits at Loyalist. Graded credits (as opposed to exemptions) are granted. Click here for more information about our assessment and credit challenge process.
International students
Click here for information about how to apply, international student fees and more.
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