Personal Support Worker Bridging

Training and Certification in Personal Support Worker Bridging
Work in Long Term Care Facilities, Healthcare Facilities and Retirement Homes.
Registered as NACC PSW Bridging 2022

Available Online*

Ontario Personal Support Worker Diploma Course at CIMT College

The Personal Support Worker Bridging program is designed to transition individuals who are nurses and healthcare workers with foreign training into the Canadian workforce. It also is ideal for any previously Canadian-educated nurses, health care aides, or personal support workers, who have either been out of the workforce for a while, or who want a refresher before re-entering the healthcare field. Because this program comes with 2 practicum placements, individuals can quickly upgrade and refresh their skills, then receive hands-on training with 2 different practicum locations, in order to accelerate their return to employment.

Bridging Program Comparison:

PSW Program PSW Bridging
Total Hours 700 Hours 355 Hours
In Class 400 Hours 205 Hours
Practicum Hours 300 Hours 150 Hours
Community 100 Hours 50 Hours
Clinical 200 Hours 100 Hours

Those wishing to take the Bridging Program instead of the PSW Program must have one of the following:

  • Health Care Aide – Canadian Graduate, Diploma or Degree
  • Home Support Worker – Canadian Graduate, Diploma or Degree
  • Personal Support Worker – Canadian Graduate, Diploma or Degree
  • Nurse or Registered Nurse – Domestic or Foreign Trained with Degree in Nursing
  • Registered Practical Nurse (RPN) – Domestic or Foreign Trained
  • Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) – Domestic or Foreign Trained

KNOWLEDGE & SKILLS GAINED

PSW program is designed with an aim to train students on required skills and knowledge for employment as personal care provider, client care attendant or personal support worker in long-term care facilities, retirement homes or in the community care facilities. The program is designed to offer both in class and on job training.

After a three month of in-class training, the student is required to take an on-the-job training at the designated clinical and community care facilities. This arrangement is made by the college. The hands-on training at the facilities equip the student further with the practical knowledge to succeed in the field of their study.

THIS PROGRAM IS OFFERED IN A HYBRID FORMAT

  • Training is conducted in an online classroom and also in person at the campus for practicals and labs.
  • Evaluations like Quizzes, Midterms, Exam, and some Assignments are offered in LISA. Watch the video to learn more!
  • The practicums are hands-on components which are completed onsite at an approved host facility.
  • There are many hands-on components which are completed onsite at the campus.

NEXT PROGRAM START DATES

S.IDSTART DATEEND DATEDAYTIMINGSTATUSREGISTER
6697January 3, 2025April 7, 2025MON, TUE, WED, THU, FRI5:00 PM - 10:00 PMRegister Now
6854March 6, 2025June 9, 2025MON, TUE, WED, THU, FRI9:30 AM - 2:30 PMRegister Now
6855May 1, 2025August 5, 2025MON, TUE, WED, THU, FRI5:00 PM - 10:00 PMRegister Now
6856July 4, 2025October 8, 2025MON, TUE, WED, THU, FRI9:30 AM - 2:30 PMRegister Now
6857August 28, 2025December 2, 2025MON, TUE, WED, THU, FRI5:00 PM - 10:00 PMRegister Now
6858October 30, 2025February 9, 2026MON, TUE, WED, THU, FRI9:30 AM - 2:30 PMRegister Now
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Contact us directly for other start dates
Seats Available
Limited Seats
Class Full

PROGRAM OUTLINE

PSW Foundations:  Introduces to individuals’ experiences, rights, interests, needs and attitudes.

Safety and Mobility:  Introduces various ways the PSW can provide in assistance in a manner that is effective, safe, and provides for client comfort.

Body Systems:  Introduces the individual to the basics of anatomy and physiology.

Assisting with Personal Hygiene:  Introduces to the knowledge, skills, and sensitivity needed to provide appropriate assistance to a variety of people, many for whom they provide services have disabilities that affect their ability to look after their personal hygiene.

Abuse and Neglect:  Introduces the PSW to the concepts of family violence and abuse, including its possible signs, as well as appropriate actions to be taken if abuse is suspected, including legal requirements.

Household Management, Nutrition and Hydration:  Introduces to assisting the consumer/client with their nutritional needs, household activities, and household management according to client preferences, comfort, and safety within employer guidelines as required.  

Care Planning, Restorative Care, Electronic Documentation, and Working in the Community:  Introduces to build upon the ability to provide sufficient support to assist clients to do what they wish to without inhibiting them. The PSWs will indentify the appropriate support to be provided to the client, as well as the significance and need for the support.

Assisting the Family / Growth and Development:  Introduces to build upon the foundation for individuals to understand family characteristics in terms of structure, functions, roles, lifestyles, and relationship. It also explore the role of the PSW in providing respite and assistance to families and their children, including those with special needs.

Assisting the Dying Person:  Introduces the discussion to students of the concept of dying as a part of life and the possible impact of life-threatening illness on the person and their family.  

Assisting with Medications:   Introduces the individual to knowledge of the drugs used in the treatment of common diseases and disorders, including drug classification, use, therapeutic effects, side/adverse effects, brand/generic names, dosage forms, routes of administration, and directions for the use of these medications.

Cognitive and Mental Health Issues, and Brain Injuries:  Introduces the PSW to use approaches and techniques to assist clients with these changes or conditions in keeping with the care/support plan and report observations to the appropriate team member.

Health Conditions:  Introduces the PSW to the understanding of the effects of disability, disease, or condition on functioning in order to provide appropriate assistance.

Gentle Persuasive Approaches in Dementia Care: GPA is a multi-disciplinary course designed for everyone who interacts with older adults in the workplace. Participants are guided to fully understand responsive behaviors in order to be able to respond effectively and appropriately in a workplace setting.

Practicum:  Provides the students with an opportunity to practice their skills in a work setting. The students would work in both a long term care facility and a retirement home.

Students complete field placements of 150 hours as a part of the program. CIMT College assigns students to Long Term Care, community clinics, retirement homes, or senior centers to gain hands-on experience before being awarded the certificate.

WHY THIS PROGRAM?

There are numerous job opportunities for personal support workers at the long term care facilities and retirement home. Training as a personal support work opens new opportunities in the field be it the care for the elderly, developmentally challenged or severely incapacitated clients both in the nursing homes or in the community based homes. The skills learnt during the program equip the student with the knowledge and confidence that they will need to fit into the ever growing job market of the personal support workers and allied healthcare opportunities.

ASSOCIATED NATIONAL OCCUPATION CLASSIFICATION (NOC) CODES

After pursuing Personal Support Worker, you are eligible for positions falling under the following NOC Codes

NOC - 44101 - Home support workers, housekeepers and related occupations– Home support workers provide personal care and companionship for seniors, persons with disabilities and convalescent clients. Care is provided within the client's residence, in which the home support worker may also reside. They are employed by home care and support agencies, private households, or they may be self-employed. Housekeepers perform housekeeping and other home management duties in private households and other non-institutional, residential settings.

Common Job Titles which you can apply for include - Attendant for persons with disabilities – home care, family caregiver, home support worker, housekeeper, live-in caregiver – seniors, personal aide – home support, personal care attendant – home care, respite worker – home support.

JOB FUNCTIONS

Duties of a Personal Support Worker range from providing care and companionship for individuals and families during periods of incapacitation, convalescence or family disruption; administering bedside and personal care to clients such as aid in ambulation, bathing, personal hygiene, and dressing and undressing; planning and prepare meals and special diets, and feed or assist in feeding clients.

The duties performed by the housekeepers perform housekeeping and other home management duties under general direction of employer; plan and prepare meals independently or with employer, and may serve meals; may care for children.

JOB REQUIREMENTS

Completion of a training program in care of the elderly, care of persons with disabilities, convalescent care or in a related field may be required.

First aid certification may be required.

While entry level jobs ask for no experience or one to two years experience, higher positions can be sought for once you gain some practical experience in the actual workplace.

EMPLOYMENT AREAS & PROSPECTS

There are numerous job opportunities for personal support workers in the care centers and other settings where personal care and support services are provided.

In Person Labs, Team Campus Days, and Hands-on Training

Many courses require the physical use of handheld devices, hospital beds, scales, and healthcare equipment, even for hybrid students. In this program, there are 10 days of Lectures, Teamwork Activities, Labs and Practicals which are all completed on campus, and which require students to attend in person at the campus where they are registered.

Personal Support Worker Bridging Certificate Course Lab Hours Details

Labs may be arranged to be 4-5 hours per day over 2 days, or one longer 8-9 hour day, at the discretion of the Campus Manager and Instructor. Hybrid Students must be prepared to travel and attend labs in either timing.

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Duration 13 Weeks - Full Time
Campus Mississauga - Malton
Mississauga - Dundas St
Brampton
Scarborough
Hamilton
Toronto
Course Fees Contact Us
Faculty Healthcare
Course Level Beginner, Intermediate
Features In Class, Assignment,
Practicum
Delivery Methods

Students may Enroll under either of the Delivery Methods

Full In-Person Delivery
or
Combination of
In-Person and Online (Hybrid)
Language English

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