Emotional and Physical Challenges of Being a Personal Support Worker: How to Deal with and Flourish

Being a Personal Support Worker (PSW) is one of the most fulfilling careers in healthcare. PSWs are essential in the provision of practical care for patients, ensuring their physical comfort, emotional wellbeing and overall quality of life. However, the job of a PSW also brings with it great challenges - both emotionally and physically. From having to help patients with grooming to dealing with the stress of working in a high-intensive environment, this job can sometimes be overwhelming.

At NorthBridge College (formerly New Brunswick College of Business & Technology) that's what we aim to do by training our students with the skills they need to succeed in this challenging yet rewarding field. Through our Personal Support Worker Certificate program, students are taught how to deal with these challenges effectively and retain their resilience and well-being while providing excellent care. In this blog, we will be exploring some of the emotional and physical challenges that PSWs encounter while on the job and offer some helpful advice on how to deal with and flourish in this essential profession.

The Emotional Challenges of Being a PSW

Emotional labor is one of the most important aspects of being a Personal Support Worker. PSWs often work with elderly patients, those with chronic illnesses or disabilities. This takes a lot of empathy, patience and emotional intelligence.

1. Caring for Patients with Complex Conditions

Many PSWs work with people with complex medical conditions, such as dementia, Alzheimer's or terminal illnesses. Often these patients need substantial physical care and are not always able to express their needs or feelings clearly. The emotional challenge comes from witnessing how they struggle and the burden of their pain, confusion or fear.

How to Cope:

• Practice Emotional Boundaries: While it's important to be empathic, it's also important to maintain emotional boundaries. PSWs need to try to be empathetic but keep in mind that they are there to professionally care for patients and not to take their emotional burdens.
• Celebrate the Small Wins: While it is not an easy day every day, it is crucial to celebrate the small wins such as the smile of a patient or a small moment of connection that can help you stay emotionally fueled.

2. Establishing Emotional Connections with Patients

PSWs often get involved deeply in the lives of the patients. They might develop strong emotional relationships with patients and their families. While it can be a fulfilling aspect of the job, it can also be emotionally taxing, especially if a patient's condition deteriorates or they pass away.

How to Cope:

• Self-Care is Key: Take a break to recharge your self after an emotional interaction. Go for a walk, practicing mindfulness or spending some valuable time with your loved ones. Balancing is important to find ways of decompressing and resetting.
• Seek Support: Find colleagues who understand the emotional strain of the job and talk. Many healthcare organizations have support groups in place where employees can share their experiences and find emotional support.

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3. Managing Patient Families’ Expectations

Families’ expectations on PSWs are often high, as they hope that a PSW not only supports patients physically but also emotionally and psychologically. This can sometimes cause pressure and stress, particularly if family members are anxious, grieving or uncooperative.

How to Cope:

• Communicate Clearly: Set expectations with families that are realistic. Do it in a kind, caring way and be sure to explain the extent of your job and the boundaries of your obligations.
• Maintain Professionalism: While being empathetic, keep your distance and don't let yourself get caught up in family disputes and problems.

The Physical Challenges of Being a PSW

The physical requirements of the job of a Personal Support Worker are high. The majority of the time PSWs are on their feet lifting, transferring and supporting the patients in the daily activities. This may have an effect on the body causing fatigue, injuries and burnout unless it is effectively dealt with.

1. Heavy Lifting and Mobility Assistance

There are many PSWs who attend to the patients with limited mobility possibly by physically lifting or moving them. It may be helping patients out of bed and offering them a chair or repositioning them in bed or even helping the patient to walk, which may be physically demanding and lead to the occurrence of back pain, problems with joints, or other injuries.

How to Cope:

• Use Proper Body Mechanics: The PSWs are supposed to be trained on good body mechanics so that they do not cause injury. This involves bending at knees and not back when lifting and the aids such as lift chairs or transfer belts to reduce strain.
• Take Breaks and Stretch: Do not forget to have regular breaks during the day in order to relax and stretch. This will reduce tension in the muscles and fatigue will be prevented.

2. Long Hours and Physical Fatigue

The work may result in exhaustion due to the physically demanding nature of the job coupled with long shifts. Working in a healthcare environment may require most of your time on your feet, moving patients around, and other activities that demand physical stamina.

How to Cope:

• Prioritize Rest and Sleep: Sleep is important to the body. Make sure that you have an adequate period of rest between shifts in order to be at your best. In case you work during the night, you should make a regular sleeping schedule to control your body’s internal clock.
• Hydrate and Eat Well: Drinking water and consuming healthy food on a daily basis is essential to keep the body energized and active.

3. The Risk of Infection

Working in a healthcare setting means that PSWs can easily contract infections and illnesses, whether it's a cold, the flu or more serious disease. Protecting yourself and your patients from infections takes vigilance and attention to the hygiene protocols.

How to Cope:

• Follow Safety Protocols: Practice all precautions for infection control measures such as wearing proper personal protective equipment (PPE), frequent hand washing and maintaining a clean environment.
• Boost Your Immune System: Eat well, staying active by exercising regularly, and getting enough rest to keep your immune system strong.

Being as a PSW: How to Maintain Resilience and Well-Being

Being a Personal Support Worker can be physically and emotionally difficult at times. However, with the right strategies, PSWs can effectively manage these demands and ensure their career is successful. Here are a few tips for maintaining resilience and well-being:

1. Practice Self-Care:

Allot some time to rejuvenate yourself, whether it’s exercise, meditation, or spending time with friends and family. Self-care is important in preventing burnout and keeping the mind and body healthy.

2. Seek Professional Support:

If the emotional burden of the job gets too much to handle, it is important to consult a counselor or a therapist. Many health care organizations have employee assistance programs (EAPs) that can offer confidential counseling services.

3. Develop Strong Relationships with Colleagues:

It's important to have a support system at work. Building relationships with other PSWs and healthcare professionals can help provide an outlet to vent out, share experiences and provide support to each other.

4. Set Boundaries:

While empathy is an important component of the job, it's important to maintain good boundaries. Learn to take a step back and recharge and remember that you can't give the best care if you don't take care of yourself.

Conclusion

Being a Personal Support Worker is not an easy job, both emotionally and physically, but it is also an incredibly rewarding choice. The work that you do as a PSW has a profound impact on the lives of others by helping others to maintain their dignity, comfort and independence. At NorthBridge College, our Personal Support Worker Certificate program will give you the skills and knowledge to be able to maneuver these challenges successfully and succeed in this career field.

By learning how to deal with the emotional demands of caregiving and learning how to care for your own physical and emotional health, you'll be able to stay resilient and keep giving the kind and quality care your patients deserve.

If you are ready to start a career that will make a real difference in the lives of people, visit NBBTCollege.ca to learn more about our PSW program and how we can help you to reach your goals.