Personal Support Work

Allied health is a term for the area of healthcare (and health care professions) which offer care and support services other than specific nurse and doctoring care. Sometimes, the line between allied health and “non-allied health” may appear to be separated by the level of education/ degree, although this isn't always true.

Allied health career paths may be divided into general roles such as diagnostic (testing to see what is wrong), technical (taking care of technology aspects), therapeutic (moving the patient toward healing) and direct patient care (other ways of caring for the patient), although a few roles have some overlap. There are a couple of hundred potential jobs and dozens of potential settings for one to work in.

The career field is important for multiple reasons. Firstly, the support and care that allied health professionals offer is integral to the health care system. Furthermore, it is estimated that these professionals make up more than half of the entire health care field. This representation within the industry demonstrates how important the varying roles are. This course focuses on select careers in allied health, studying various differing levels, settings, responsibilities, education needs and degrees of patient contact.

We will examine aspects such as the training or degree required for each job, the environment one may work in, the amount of money they could make and facts of their typical working day.Next, we will explore important aspects within each job group, which apply to the entire allied health field, including behaving ethically, working in a team, keeping patients safe and free from germs and infections, meeting the diverse needs of different patients, and complying with laws and policies.The final unit will then feature various activities that enable the student to engage seriously with their career selection and exploration.

OBJECTIVES

• Learn about allied health careers, lifestyle, academic preparation, required skills, credentialing and licensing.
• explore legal and ethical challenges in the field of healthcare.
• understand the role of allied health care professionals in the overall environment of healthcare, as well as the importance of teamwork in patient care.
• examine the importance of social, ethnic and cultural diversity in the healthcare environment and workforce.
• learn regulatory and legal guidelines that address medical and patient information and understand confidentiality-related issues.
• learn about regulatory requirements and safety measures.

PRE-REQUISITES:

Because this course heavily leans on research and reporting, students must already know how to select appropriate resources, particularly online, and how to cite these resources properly. Resources and Supplies: 2-4 pieces of poster board/large paper (or graphics/drawing software) Access to media/newspaper archives 2-5 Paper plates Drawing tools Suggested: Copy of the book "Alex, the Life of a Child" by Frank DeFord