Working in a Long Term Care facility, such as a nursing home has many challenges.

The least of which to worry about is getting up early or working weekends.

Once you get into the groove of things, your schedule becomes a part of you. I don’t even flinch at the thought of working on a Saturday anymore.

Infact, unless I have something specific already planned, I’d rather be at work.

That’s not sad, it’s smart.

Take advantage of the opportunities when they arise.

The challenges that I am referring to are obstacles that cannot be avoided. It isn’t right by any means, but these challenges are found in all Long-term care homes.

Personal support workers have the unique opportunity of working in a career that makes it both challenging and rewarding.

With the country’s aging population making the health care industry increasingly complex, the need for front-line support workers is expected to increase significantly.

Various studies have indicated the demand for Personal support workers is markedly higher than the supply available.

Despite the high demand for workers, studies show that many are unwilling to enter the field. 

While all jobs have advantages and disadvantages, it is important to be aware of the problems that are relevant in the industry if it’s a career you are considering.

This article examines five Personal support worker problems that workers face.

1. STAFF SHORTAGES

Currently, there aren’t enough Personal support workers or care providers in Ontario resulting in a chronic staffing shortage, specifically in long-term care facilities.

With the staff-to-patient ratio being high, one PSW problem is meeting the demands required of them.

What stakeholders commonly refer to as an assembly line culture has developed over the past decade. 

According to the Ontario Council of Hospital Unions, a whopping 91 percent of personal support workers polled reported that they felt they had too many patients that need personal care for. A survey published by CBC News revealed that some respondents claimed to be responsible for as many as 40 residents in one shift.

Effect on Many PSWs/Patients
Pervasive staff shortages can have a significant impact on the retention of employees since Personal support workers (PSWs) are more likely to quit their jobs or leave the industry altogether if they have an unrealistically high workload.

Further, prospective support workers may choose not to pursue a Personal support worker (PSW) career if they are aware of the working conditions.

Effect on Patients
Patients who rely heavily on support workers in their homes are at risk of not receiving the quality care they require.

PSWs have reported that residents/patients have expressed anger and frustration due to the lack of time support workers are allotted to assist them with daily living tasks.

Possible Solution

• The primary goal should be to raise staff levels to increase the amount of PSWs who enter or remain in the field.
• If there aren’t enough PSWs in particular long-term care, home and community care or hospital, there aren’t enough of them in the workforce.
• Implement aggressive recruitment strategies and create more PSW incentives for people to enter the field.

Efforts to Solve the Problem
As of today, no governmental plans or initiatives geared toward attracting and retaining PSWs in Ontario have been released to the public.

2. LOW WAGES

According to a 2007 Ryerson University survey of personal support workers, 65 percent of those polled were dissatisfied with the salary they were receiving.

Further, until a new province-wide plan to increase the PSW salary was implemented three years ago, PSWs earned as little as $12 hourly with many companies opting not to cover travel expenses for those working in private homes.

However, as of April 2016, a minimum hourly wage of $16.50 to a maximum of $19 per hour was imposed by the government.

Unfortunately, while the increase was beneficial, support workers are still being underpaid for the work that they perform.

Effect on PSWs
As low pay was cited as one of the main PSW problems, wages presumably have a negative impact on their standard of living.

Many have to choose between working in a career that they derive fulfillment from and being able to adequately support their families.

As a result, fewer people will be inclined to enter or remain in the field on a long-term basis.

Effect on Patients
With PSWs being dissatisfied with their wages and a resultant decrease in some prospective support workers choosing to enter the field, patients are less likely to obtain the services they need.

Possible Solution

• The government opted to implement policies that would raise the minimum salary of support workers.
• Increase wages based on experience level.

Unlike other fields, PSWs do not receive pay based on their level of experience so many support workers leave the industry after an average of 20 years.

Efforts to Solve the Problem
There are currently no plans to increase the minimum wages of PSWs in Ontario.

3. LACK OF TRANSPARENCY

Lack of transparency has also been cited as a major PSW problem in the province.

Currently, the government can provide only an estimate of the number of PSWs employed in Ontario since no one knows exactly who is working and where they are working.

The problem has been acknowledged by the province for several years resulting in a PSW registry being created.

In 2012, a PSW registry was launched – boasting an annual budget of $2.5 million a year as of  2014/2015 and 30,000 PSWs listed, the initiative was hailed as an effective long-term solution. However, systemic challenges regarding inaccurate vetting procedures resulted in the registry being shut down only three years later.

Consequently, PSWs in Ontario are still working in a field that lacks transparency. 

Effect on PSWs
A Personal support worker can feel as though they are undervalued due to working in the shadows. As a result, both the recruitment and retention of a personal support worker is at risk of being compromised.

Effect on Patients
Patient safety is paramount, and those that require the assistance of PSWs can be putting themselves at risk due to not being able to verify the background of the support workers they hire.

Possible Solutions:

• Make improvements to the previous version of the registry
• Relaunch the registry once it is user-friendly, useful, and accurate

Efforts to Solve the Problem
Currently, the Liberal government has not revealed plans to relaunch the registry to the public.

4. INADEQUATE AND UNPREDICTABLE WORK HOURS

According to a recent survey, over 37 percent of PSWs polled are dissatisfied with the hours they are scheduled to work.

Although shifts including evenings, weekends, and holidays are typical for most health care positions, support workers have cited fluctuating hours as being one of the most significant disadvantages of being employed in the field.

Also, the wage increase policy that was recently implemented resulted in PSWs being scheduled for shorter shifts – some as short as 15 minutes.

Randy Hillier, MPP for Lanark-Frontenac-Lennox & Addington, recently stated, “What can you possibly do in 15 minutes? It’s a paperwork exercise. It’s not delivering home care.”

As a result, PSWs have seen their salaries reduced by as much as $10,000 annually in addition to the PSW work hours becoming increasingly erratic.

In an article published by The Sun in August 2016, a PSW revealed that many workers were effectively working without being paid:

“I work for free all the time. We do it because we love the clients. We need at least to pay our bills. We have to support our families.”

Effect on PSWs
A Personal support worker cannot earn a living wage and are unable to enjoy financial and job security and stability when working in their chosen career.

Effect on Patients
Patients can be negatively impacted if fewer people are willing to work as personal support workers, thereby reducing the amount of support they can receive about private home care.

Possible Solutions:

• Workplace shifts/hours available for PSWs could be stabilized through governmental intervention.
• While the issue cannot be resolved in the context of private home care, regulations geared toward ensuring that more full-time positions are offered could be a viable solution.

Efforts to Solve the Problem
The Ontario Personal Supporter Worker Association has received approximately 100 complaints over the past year, and The Ontario Ministry of Long-Term Care has been advised of the issue.

This PSW problem has also been raised by at least one Member of Parliament, and many stakeholders have called for action. However, there is no evidence that plans are being made to make workplace hours for PSWs more stable.

5. POOR WORKPLACE CONDITIONS

Recent polls reveal that 44 percent of the PSWs surveyed in Ontario are not satisfied with workplace conditions in private homes, long-term care facilities, and hospitals.

Over half of the support workers polled reported they had been the victim of some form of abuse with 24 percent of the cases being classified as physical violence.

With many residents/patients suffering from cognitive impairments, PSWs are often subjected to verbal or physical abuse when performing their duties.

Despite the prevalence of workplace violence, survey respondents indicated that management personnel are often unwilling to address incidents that occur, only doing so for approximately one-third of the cases reported.

Sexism has also contributed to poor workplace conditions for PSWs. Because the field has a high percentage of women, feminists have argued that the work they perform is not fully recognized due to the fact that caretaking is supposedly inherent to the female gender.

Additionally, racism has become a concern as visible minority groups comprise a large percentage of the PSW workforce in the province. Many have revealed that they are often treated unfairly by management due to racial biases.

Effect on PSWs
Poor working conditions can impede one’s ability to perform tasks effectively and potentially result in psychological challenges or physical injury when not addressed.

As PSWs are responsible for ensuring the safety of those they care for, it is crucial that workplace conditions are conducive to meeting that objective.

Effect on Patients
Patients who require the assistance of support workers are often vulnerable and need PSWs to be in the best mental, emotional, and physical state possible to perform their duties.

Possible Solutions:

• Improving workplace conditions for PSWs would require the effort of both the government and private sector
• Developing an effective system for reporting workplace violence
• Providing sensitivity training for personnel in management positions 

Efforts to Solve the Problem
Currently, no plan to address the problem has been made available to the public.

While working as a PSW offers satisfaction and fulfillment, you have to be prepared to face numerous challenges including workplace violence, unpredictable hours, and a relatively low pay rate.

While efforts have been made recently to address some of the issues raised, such as the minimum annual salary for PSWs, other issues are likely to remain unchanged in the foreseeable future.

Resources you’ll need to become a Personal Support Worker

On this page, you can find anything there is to know about how to become a personal support worker, how to succeed as one, and how to continue your education. This is the place to come to and look for all the PSW resources and information that you may need on your journey as a Personal Support Worker.

PSW job interview questions

If you’re determined to pass your next PSW interview with flying colors, we’re here to help. PSWHQ has put together a thorough online guide with PSW interview questions and appropriate sample answers to these questions that hit the target, and are concise and supportive.

Performing well in the interview is just one part of many others needed to secure a PSW Job. First and foremost, you’ll need to have an impeccable résumé and cover letter in order to be called for an interview. 

Guide to finding PSW jobs

After you have decided to become a Personal Support Worker and completed the course you are now at a point to start looking for psws work. It is important that you explore all the jobs listed under different job titles, which is why you should go through our ultimate guide to finding PSW jobs.

We also help you find PSW job postings from hospitals, long-term care homes, and community and private settings. 

Advertising with PSWHQ

Over the past few years, PSWHQ has achieved a dominant ranking in major search engines such as Google and Bing. As a result, we offer a limited number of advertising opportunities to individuals, colleges, companies, and organizations we see as a good fit for the unique audience of PSWHQ.

FAQs

1. What are the challenges as a support worker?

The challenges as a support worker can vary depending on the individual’s needs, but can generally include managing difficult behaviors, providing emotional support, and completing administrative tasks. Support workers must also be able to work independently and be patient when working with clients who may have disabilities or mental health issues.

2. What are the CONS of being a PSW?

There are a few cons to being a PSW well-being. One is that the work can be physically demanding, and another is that it can be emotionally draining since you often deal with people who are going through a tough time. Additionally, the work can be unpredictable, so you may not always know what you’re going to be doing from one day to the next.

3. What are the challenges in community facilities?

Among the main challenges associated with care provision in rural areas were difficulties recruiting care assistants, lack of choice of care assistants, isolation, lack of coordination from co-workers, travel and distance between clients and their caregivers, and poor housing conditions.

4. Can males be PSW?

There is no one-size-fits-all answer to this question, as it depends on the specific situation and on the individual man’s capabilities and preferences. However, in general, yes, males can be PSWs. Some men may find that they enjoy working with and caring for others more than they expected, and some may find that they have a natural talent for it. Others may simply prefer to work in a supportive role rather than taking on a more dominant role in the workplace.

5. What are the current challenges in healthcare?

The current challenges in healthcare are:
1. The high cost of healthcare.
2. The lack of access to healthcare for many people.
3. The lack of quality healthcare in many parts of the world.
4. The increasing demand for people with chronic diseases.
5. The growing number of people who are obese or overweight.