MODELO DE INVENTARIO DE SERVICIOS ADSL

Current Vacancies for Nursing Positions

Three of the four Community Support Service agencies that participated in the study currently employ nurses and/or have vacancies for nurses.

One of the agencies reported the following vacancies for nursing positions: • 1 full time RN

• 3 part time RNs • 1 casual RN • 2 part time RPNs • 2 casual RPNs

Training Requirements for Nurses and Challenges for Community Support Services One agency noted that nurses need to stay current with wound care, IV and other nursing skills. Another agency indicated that nurses need to have leadership skills and experience working alone as most of the work takes place in the home of clients.

Professional Development

Staff are generally encouraged to participate in professional development opportunities but not all agencies provide funding to support this.

Recruitment Methods

Community Support Services are using a variety of methods to recruit nurses including

advertising positions in local newspapers, on their own website, and on job search engines (e.g. thehealthline.ca, Job Bank, kijiji). Some agencies are also using word of mouth and networking with colleges and universities.

Challenges Recruiting RNs and RPNs

Recruitment challenges for RNs and RPNs alike include low pay, disinterest in working in Huron or Perth, cost of commuting to the area, and lack of applicants and overall RN / RPN shortage. Lack of full time positions was also identified as a challenge for recruiting RPNs. One agency requires nurses to have at least 10 months experience including some experience working alone which limits the number of applications they receive.

Challenges Retaining RNs and RPNs

The most common challenges associated with retaining RNs and RPNs in Community Support Services include insufficient pay, lack of full time hours/additional hours, cost of commuting and disinterest in working in the area.

Practice Setting Preferences

One agency noted that it is well known that community nursing does not pay as well as hospital or LTC settings which makes it challenging to recruit and retain nursing staff.

6.3.2 Personal Support Workers Current Vacancies for PSWs

All four of the Community Support Service agencies that participated in the study currently employ PSWs and/or have vacancies for PSWs.

One of the agencies reported the following vacancies for nursing positions: • 3 full time PSWs

• 3 part time PSWs • 10 casual PSWs

Training Requirements for PSWs for Community Support Services

All PSWs must have their PSW or DSW (Developmental Service Worker) certificate. Some agencies also have RPNs who fill in the role of a PSW. One agency noted that some colleges have limited training in the areas of palliative care and Alzheimer’s which is growing in

importance.

Professional Development

One of the agencies reported that they provide the following training to their PSW staff members: Lifts and Transfer education, CPR refresher, PSNO conference (usually offered annually to 2 PSW), various in-service educations, and other opportunities for education/training that are offered by other agencies in the community. Another agency noted that they provide in house training, payment for training courses taken, and time off work,

Recruitment Methods

Community Support Services are using a variety of methods to recruit PSWs including

advertising positions in local newspapers, on their own website, and on job search engines (e.g. thehealthline.ca). Some agencies are also using word of mouth and networking with colleges and universities.

Challenges Recruiting PSWs

Recruitment challenges for PSWs include overall shortage of PSWs, low pay, lack of full time positions, lack of qualifications, disinterest in working shift hours and weekends, disinterest in working in Huron or Perth, and cost of commuting to the area.

Challenges Retaining PSWs

The most common challenges associated with retaining PSWs in Community Support Services include insufficient pay, lack of full time positions, lack of sufficient part time hours, and a general PSW shortage which can result in PSWs jumping from job to job when they can find more hours, better pay, etc. Many PSWs are employed through Community Care Access Centre (CCAC) contracts where the positions are largely part-time and temporary and offer less job security. Some PSWs are hesitant to move to the area until they gain some sense of job security. One agency stressed the importance of matching staff to clients to ensure that their personalities do not clash.

Practice Setting Preferences

Some PSWs prefer working one on one with clients rather than having to divide their attention across a group of residents in a LTC / Retirement home.

6.3.3 Activation Workers

Current Vacancies for Activation Workers

Two of the four Community Support Service agencies that participated in the study currently employ Activation Workers but they have no vacancies at the moment. One agency noted that

they do not have Activation Workers but some of their PSWs take their clients out for walks or for other exercises in the community.

Training Requirements for Activation Workers for Community Support Services One agency noted that their Activation Workers are required to have a Leisure Recreation Diploma or equivalent.

Recruitment Methods

Community Support Services are using a variety of methods to recruit Activation Workers including advertising positions in local newspapers, on their own website, and on job search engines (e.g. thehealthline.ca). Some agencies are also using word of mouth and networking with colleges.

Challenges Recruiting / Retaining Activation Workers

The key recruitment and retention challenges for Activation Workers are the same: low pay, lack of full time positions, lack of sufficient part time hours, lack of qualifications, and cost of

commuting to the area.

6.3.4 Communicative Disorder Assistants

None of the four Community Support Service agencies that participated in the study currently employ CDAs and they are not recruiting CDAs.

6.3.5 Chefs / Cooks / Food Service Workers

Only one of the four Community Support Service agencies that participated in the study currently employs Cooks/FSWs but no details were provided on the recruiting / retention challenges they experience.

6.3.6 Volunteers

Volunteers are extremely important to some of the agencies as they provide a range of services such as:

• Visiting with our senior clients as well as Alzheimer clients • Providing transportation

• Assisting in the Adult Day Programs • Delivering exercises to our senior clients • Assisting with congregate dining program • Deliver Meals on Wheels

• Assisting at Blood Pressure Clinics

Agencies are finding it challenging to compete for volunteers with all the other organizations that are looking for volunteers – this results in having to continuously recruit and train which can be time consuming. One agency noted that they provide in-service education to their volunteers and find that most challenges come from volunteers not understanding their boundaries with clients.

Another agency noted that the current group of volunteers is aging and new seniors do not volunteer to the same extent as the previous generation. The agency also noted that younger volunteers tend to avoid long term commitments to volunteering and prefer brief one time events.

6.3.7 Service Trends

All of the agencies see a growing need for community support services especially as the population ages and more seniors make the choice to stay in the comfort of their own home rather than move to a LTC / Retirement home. One agency noted that more PSWs will be needed to respond to this need. However, one agency also noted that lack of funding for extra staff hours is limiting their ability to expand beyond what they are currently providing.