The manager of PSW's (Personal Support Workers) is responsible for the training, performance,and discipline of all PSW's at the residence.
PSW's are the backbone of the floor staff. These are the people who feed, bathe, dress, transport, etc. residents when needed,help them get up and go to bed,etc. They make the beds, serve /clean up after meals, put the clothes in laundry - most everything you probably do at home.
3 shifts make up a daily staffing complement:
Day shift: 7:00- 3:00, Each floor: 1 RN(registered nurse) + 3 PSW's
Evening shift : 3:00-11:00, 2 RN's in the building, Each floor: 3 PSW's /floor
Night shift: 11:00-7:00, 1 RN + 3 RPN's in the building, Each floor: 2 PSW's
Floors 2,3 always have an RN or RPN present. An RN must be present in the building at all times.
Each daily shift comprises 3 or 4 "teams"(actually, individuals) of PSW's - listed on the daily staff schedule board posted on the nurse's office window - usually. Your resident will be assigned to a "team", allowing families to instantly determine which PSW is caring for your resident on that shift (if the schedule is posted). Then there's the evening shift, 3:00-11:00, which can be very confused. We previously attempted to explain the evening shift dynamics but this "shifts" so frequently it's become inexplicable.
Budgetary restraints mean we have less personnel than optimal here, which translates into a heavy workload for each PSW, thus it's critcial that a) the hiring process clearly identifies capable candidates for this environment, b) management provides effective and ongoing training and c) management provides the leadership and tools to accomplish the task.
The top 2 concerns repeatedly voiced by residents and families are a) the need for consistent staffing and b) training. We've seen the ongoing parade of new faces creating a counterproductive and confusing environment for residents, families and staff,resulting in an additional and unnecessary workload on already strained resources. Weekend/holiday substitute staff often seem untrained/unprepared.
Many PSW's are very good, and some excellent, however our suggestion is to stay observant and ask fellow families their experience.
Issues relating to PSW performance should first go to the floor nurse on duty each shift.
If your issue is not resolved then follow up with the PSW manager. If that produces no results, complete a complaint form available from the nurse's office on each floor. (Do not accept the "we're all out of complaint forms" or "I don't know where to find them" response often heard.)
These complaint forms are then forwarded to the Ministry of Health (now Long Term Care) for follow up by a local inspection (not investigation) team.Then follow up with MLTC. Tel:1-866-434-0144