PERSONAL SUPPORT WORKERS, CAUGHT IN THE MIDDLE. Posted on August 7, 2009 by Ontario Personal Support Worker Association (OPSWA) ** LETTER TO THE NEWSPAPERS** Our Government has allowed the practice of letting Personal Support Workers in Retirement Homes and Lodging Homes to dispense medication. PSW Canada would like to address this very dangerous issue. At present there is no regulation in place to monitor what is really going on in these homes. Owners/Operators pretty much do as they like. Being that a Personal Support Worker is not fully informed of the true scope of practice they should be performing, confused and lonely; they enter into a workplace that is overwhelming and dangerous. These poor Personal Support Workers have no idea what they are in for. They will be working for peanuts, in some cases and many will be working alone making decisions that can make a difference between life and death. Residents will out number the new recruit to the point of burn-out and total exhaustion. Personal Support Workers will have to perform domestic duties, washing floors, setting tables, chart and answer demanding call bells while caring for residents with Dementia and Alzheimer disease. How can caregivers that are made to work under poor, overwhelming working conditions, be responsible and knowledgeable enough to administer medication? Does the safety of our residents and the disabled not matter? Will the employer protect and defend the actions of the Personal Support Worker? PSW Canada can tell you from experience and feedback from our membership that the employer will hang you out to dry! Does the fact that owners/ operators have their eye only on the revenue of the homes, okay? Does that make it ok to operate Retirement Homes and Lodging Homes in this careless and criminal manner? Not on our senior’s life it doesn’t!!! Manuela Filek (PSW Canada) Director of Communications
Posted on: Wed, 21 Aug 2013 03:45:09 +0000
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