Choose a career as a Personal Support Worker!
The St. Louis PSW program will prepare students to provide supportive care to clients of all ages in various settings to improve the client’s quality of life.

We can teach you to become a Personal Support Worker !

• skill
• knowledge
• physical competence

The job also entails having characteristics that you bring with you.

• compassion
• dedication
• gentleness
• work ethic
• good communication

Professionally recognized PSW Educational Program

St. Louis’ PSW education and certificate program is recognized by the Ontario Ministry of Education, Ontario Ministry of Health, Ministry of Long-Term Care, meets all standards put forth by the Ministry of Colleges and Universities and is recognized by employers in all sectors of the health care field.

Qualified Instructors

Program is delivered by Registered Nurses and Registered Practical Nurses with solid understanding of best practices and approaches to adult education and skills-based training as well as the latest health safety protocols.

LOW Cost

Tuition fees have always been paid from Ministry of Education funding. The government has not informed us if their funding and support of PSW Programs in Ontario School Boards.  This means that your tuition portion continues to be free, however you will need to pay a $1600  materials fees for textbooks, uniforms, additional certificates, and first aid/CPR training which are all part of this fee.  Unfortunately, we have not heard yet if there will be government funds toward a stipend for your hours worked in your clinical placement.

In order for us to have your tuition portion paid for by the government,  consistent attendance is required. If you need assistance covering materials fees or any other additional fees such as shoes, medical notes, child care subsidy, there are numerous social service and employment agencies who can direct or support you.

Add Secondary School Credits to your transcript

Earn up to 7 elective Secondary School Credits toward high school completion OR to increase your grades on your transcript, a benefit for any future post-secondary pursuits.

All PSW students (whether you have an OSSD already or are working toward it) must visit a St. Louis Guidance Counsellor before beginning the course. Complete a Guidance Intake form to arrange this meeting.  Guidance will let you know if these 7 elective credits means you have now completed all your Ontario Secondary School Diploma Requirements (including 40 hours of community activities).

Extra Certificates as part of the course: Classes include approved Standard First Aid & CPR-BLS, as part of the course curriculum.  Students do not have to complete this additional pre-requisite training before beginning the St. Louis PSW Certificate Program, as this is now part of your in-person, in-class training.

Placement

The Ontario government has committed to continuing the incentive for PSW certificate programs to receive a stipend for work completed during co-op placements. We are waiting on confirmation from the Ontario government whether the 300 hours of placements will be paid or unpaid.

You will Get Hired when you complete the course!

St. Louis’ PSW program has existed since 2001 and each year the employability rate for our certificate program graduates climbs.  Last year 98% of graduates found work as a PSW. It is from this combination of valuable placement experiences, solid lab skills training and intense knowledge base that employers continually choose St. Louis PSW’s to add to their health care teams.

Modules:

• Role of the Worker
• Safety and Infection Control
• Interpersonal / Communication Skills and Optimal Support and Care Planning
• Individuality of the Person
• Anatomy and Physiology / Assisting a Person to Manage Ongoing Conditions
• Household Management and Nutrition
• Cognitive Impairment and Mental Health Disorders
• Developmental Disorders and Developmental Disabilities
• Abuse, Bullying and Harassment Awareness
• Assisting a Person with Medications
• Assisting a Person with Personal Hygiene
• Assisting with Mobility
• Assisting the Family
• End of Life Care
• Lab Skills and Practice (60 hours)
• Job Skills (Resume and Portfolio Building, Interviewing)

Additional Care Certificates:

• Gentle Persuasive Approach to Dementia Care Certificate
• Fundamentals of Hospice Palliative Care Certificate
• Safe Food Handling Certificate
• WHMIS
• All classes will now include approved Standard First Aid & CPR-BLS, as part of the course curriculum.  Students do not have to complete this additional pre-requisite training before beginning the St. Louis PSW Certificate Program.

In-class theory and lab training totals 470 hours, followed by 300 hours of Long-Term Care (LTC) and Community placements.

See below for full-time and part-time, day and evening options at two locations!

St. Louis – Kitchener Main Campus 

Full-time Day Program (Mon-Fri; 8:45am to 3:30pm)

• September, 2023 – March, 2024 (except holidays)
• February, 2024 – November, 2025 (no classes in July or August)
• Onsite child care services are offered in coordination with these hours.

Part-time Day Program (Tues, Wed, Thurs; 8:45am to 3:30pm)

• September 2023 – June, 2024 (except holidays and March Break)
• Onsite child care services are offered in coordination with these hours.

Part-time Evening Program (Tues, Wed, Thurs; 4:30pm to 9:30pm + 1 Monday evening a month)

• September 2023 – June, 2024 (except holidays and March Break)
• No onsite child care services available

***All co-op placement Days and Times will vary***

Fairview Mennonite Homes – Langs Drive, Cambridge

Part-time Day Program – Cambridge (Tues, Wed, Thurs; 8:45am to 3:30pm)

• September 2023 – June, 2024 (except holidays and March Break)
• No onsite child care services available

***All co-op placement Days and Times will vary***

Our PSW program will prepare students to provide supportive care to clients of all ages, in various settings, to improve the client’s quality of life.

Skill Lab -60 hours

Students will practice and be evaluated by the instructor on best practices in hand hygiene and PPE in the lab.  Students also practice all aspects of Activities of Daily Living (ADL’s) and are tested on their skills involving Bed Baths.

Prior to facility placement, efficient and comfortable methods to assist with mobility, lifts and transfer of clients is both taught and demonstrated. Students will apply knowledge of the musculoskeletal system, practice good body mechanics and consider factors affecting client function through the use of scenarios at the bedside, during lab practice and during demonstration of such skills. Practical skills, knowledge and professionalism will be evaluated by both the instructor and module specialist.

Placement Assignments

St. Louis provides clinical and community placement opportunities for you to apply your learning, by arranging a blend of Long-Term Care facility and community agency placement experiences.  St. Louis teaching staff work closely with a team of students and preceptors at each site to ensure that techniques, and approaches to care are carried out in accordance with all of the professional standards expected of a PSW.  During placement, students are expected to demonstrate the skills taught in the classroom and lab and must follow the policies of the on-site training organization. Total hours of clinical experience is 300 hours (180 in long-term care + 120 in community settings). Length of each shift is predetermined.  Note there will be some very early morning or late afternoon shifts.

Professional Expectations

All professional expectations around attire, identification, professional conduct, attendance and who you report to etc. are all clearly explained during class, prior to placement and during placement.  St. Louis takes tremendous pride in the reputation and integrity of the St. Louis PSW program.  These expectations learned during the program as a PSW student,  carry forward into placement and once employed in the profession.

Vision

St. Louis will be the leader of excellence in the education and development of PSW health care professionals within the communities we serve.

Mandate

The St. Louis PSW Program will inspire and engage our students in order to realize their full potential.  We will nurture hope, opportunity and success by:

• Providing accessible education to our students by removing barriers,
• Guiding students along their chosen career path so that they can support people’s needs to be healthy and independent according to the clients’ choices and capabilities,
• Following approved educational standards necessary to provide PSW students of excellence,
• Consistently demonstrating “Best Practice” Guidelines, and
• Collaborating with our Community Partners in order to serve the diverse and ever changing needs of the community.

St. Louis’ Personal Support Worker Instructional Staff are ALL Registered Nurses (RN) or Registered Practical Nurse (RPN) , have years of coaching, training and/or adult education experience, and many staff have been with St. Louis for 5 years or more.  Some instructors may also be an Ontario Certified Teacher (OCT). Time and time again, our PSW graduates have valued their teacher’s approach to education, their expansive knowledge-base with practical experience to share, their model of professionalism and most of all, encouragement to all students to be focused and successful during the rigors of this program.

• • Rozina Bhatia  RN
  • Colleen Bisson  RN
  • Aleah Cabral  RPN  OCT
  • Christine MacDonald  RN  OCT
  • Jill Corkery  RN
  • Cristina Curry  RN
  • Adrian Dragomir  RN
  • Bianca Dragomir RN
  • Jennifer Dutto  RN
  • Claire Gache  RN
  • Nives Kovac  RPN
  • Martha Leonard  RN
  • Raluca Paun  RN
  • Patricia Riddell  RN
  • Lori Skerritt  RN
  • Louise Woeller  RN

PSW Program Manager: Ashley Voisin  RPN OCT

Administrative Assistant: Tracy Zhou

For more information contact: stlouis@wcdsb.ca or 519-745-1201 ext. 288