Westmount Gardens hosts first annual PSW Skill Fair

Staff take fun, interactive approach to enhancing front-line education
4/21/2017  - Deron Hamel
Pictured above, Westmount Gardens nursing educators who created the first annual Skill Fair at the home to enhance staff education.  

After identifying learning needs among front-line staff members, Westmount Gardens’ management team created an interactive way for personal support workers (PSWs) to improve their knowledge in key care areas while having fun.

The result was the first annual PSW Skill Fair, which was held at the London, Ont. long-term care home March 23-24.

There were five areas focused on to improve knowledge: documentation, rehabilitation, skin/wound care, Behavioural Supports Ontario (BSO) and clinical skills.

PSWs were divided into five groups, and they received a total of three hours of education at the five stations that were set up with staff educators to focus on each area of learning. 

Educators for the sessions included front-line staff, BSO team members, skin- and wound-care specialists and the rest of the Westmount Gardens’ nursing leadership team.

When each team member arrived, they were given a card. Each card was stamped at each station to recognize that the team member had arrived at the station. Little did everyone know the cards had been placed in a bag and shaken with Glo Germ, a special powder that’s used to help educate people on proper hand-washing techniques.

If hands are washed well, no Glo Germ particles will appear on the skin when held under ultraviolet light.

“At the final station we analyzed their hands for the Glo Germ – the Glo Germ did travel a fair bit that day, but it was a good reminder about hand hygiene,” says manager of resident care Katherine Yates.

Katherine says the first annual PSW Skill Fair was successful at providing educational opportunities in a fun atmosphere.  

“The PSW staff had a great time, and all comments from the PSW staff stated that they enjoyed their session,” she says.

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