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5.2 Review of the Domains of Practice Competencies

Clinical practice is a cornerstone of education and professional development for Personal Support Workers (PSWs). Domains of practice competencies are essential for Personal Support Workers (PSWs) because they provide a structured and standardized framework for evaluating the diverse skills required in the profession. These domains ensure that PSWs are assessed consistently across technical, interpersonal, and ethical dimensions, promoting a high standard of care. By clearly outlining expectations, they guide both learning and professional development, helping students understand where to focus their efforts. Additionally, these competencies align with regulatory and employer standards, ensuring that graduates are well-prepared to meet the demands of real-world healthcare environments and deliver safe, client-centred care.

The clinical professional practice courses are very important for the PSW student for several reasons:

Confidence Building

Repeated exposure to clinical environments builds confidence in handling diverse client needs, emergencies, and ethical dilemmas.

Hands-On Skill Development

Clinical placements allow PSWs to apply theoretical knowledge in real-world settings, helping them master essential skills like personal care, mobility assistance, and communication with clients and healthcare teams.

Professional Socialization

Students learn workplace norms, interprofessional collaboration, and the expectations of healthcare environments, building on what they have learned in classroom settings.

Critical Thinking and Adaptability

Clinical practice challenges PSWs to make decisions in dynamic situations, fostering problem-solving and adaptability—key traits in long-term and community care.

Feedback and Growth

Supervised practice provides opportunities for constructive feedback, allowing students to refine their techniques and professional behaviour.

In the Fanshawe College PSW program, the domains of practice are placed into five main categories:

5 domains see image description
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The five domains

  • Domain #1: Demonstrates Professionalism in the PSW Role
  • Domain #2: Provides Client-Centred/Client-Directed Care
  • Domain #3: Makes Relevant Observations
  • Domain #4: Communicates effectively and appropriately using oral, written and non-verbal methods
  • Domain #5: Provides and maintains a safe and comfortable environment

Please review the HLTH 3054 Curriculum posted within the Fanshawe Online Learning Management System for a further description of each domain and the formal midterm and final evaluation documents.

Domain #1. Demonstrates professionalism in the PSW role
Domain #2. Provides client-centered/client-directed care
Domain #3. Makes relevant observations
Domain #4. Communicates effectively andl
appropriately using oral, written and non-verbal
methods
Domain #5. Provides and maintains a safe and
comfortable environment

Domain Information from Curriculum