Personal Support Worker Clinical Placement Requirements

All Personal Support Worker students must submit several documents prior to the start of the program. Please note that students are responsible for all costs associated with the Clinical Placement requirements.

Placement requirement documentation must be submitted through Placement Pass by ParaMed. See “Submission Instructions” section below.

All requirements and associated due dates are in the following documents:

Fall Intake – Clinical/Field Pre-Placement Health Form

Winter Intake – Clinical/Field Pre-Placement Health Form

Step 1 – Police Check / Vulnerable Sector Check

  • Algonquin College only accepts Vulnerable Sector Checks (VSC). Scanned copy must be submitted to Placement Pass, and original copy kept in your personal file to be provided to agencies upon request. 
  • You must be at least 18 years of age to obtain a VSC.
  • Please print the agency letter and fill in your name and student number to provide to your local police service to obtain your VSC. 
  • A VSC may take up to 10 weeks to obtain depending on your local police service. 
  • Keep the receipt – it may be submitted as proof of purchase if your police service is experiencing a delay. 
  • Students with a notation on their VSC must contact the Academic Chair of the Health & Community Studies Department to determine program suitability. If a student has been charged or has pending charges against them while in a clinical placement, the student must notify the Academic Chair. Failure to do so may result in loss of clinical placement. 
  • As per our placement agencies’ policies, a Police Check with Vulnerable Sector Check needs to be current within 6 months. Therefore, a second VSC is required prior to entering your second semester. 
  • Please refer to the Clinical/Field Pre-Placement Health Form (above) document for due dates.

Step 2 – Immunization & Blood Work Requirements

  • Immunization requirements include: Covid-19 vaccines, Hepatitis B vaccine, 2-step TB test and copy of childhood immunization records or equivalent indicating tetanus, diphtheria, polio and pertussis and measles, mumps, and rubella.
  • Please refer to the Clinical/Field Pre-Placement Health Form (above) document for more information on immunizations and required blood work.
  • Arrange an appointment with your healthcare provider or Algonquin College Health Services to have your immunization and blood work requirements completed.
  • Only a medical exemption is accepted for immunization accommodation.

Please note: If you do not have a healthcare provider, the Health Nurse at Algonquin College can assist with the form completion at no cost. Please contact Health Services early to ensure the requirements can be completed prior to the deadline. Due to Covid restrictions, individuals will be seen in Health Services by appointment only.

Health Services Contact Information:

Laurie Ann Klawitter – Health Nurse
E-mail: klawitl@algonquincollege.com
Phone: 613-735-4700 ext. 2748

Step 3 – Ministry of Labour Health & Safety Learning Modules – WHMIS & OWHSA

  • Once registered and network account active, students will be able to complete the WHMIS and OWHSA requirements through this link: www.yowcanada.com/algonquin/students.
  • Please refer to the Clinical/Field Pre-Placement Health Form (above) document for due date.

Step 4 – Authorization to Release Healthcare and Police Information Form

  • The Release of Healthcare/Police Information Form will be provided to you during your first week of class.
  • All students are required to sign this authorization which allows the release of medical information and information contained in the Police Record Check with Vulnerable Sector Screen to the placement agencies that the student is assigned to attend for the duration of their program.
  • Please refer to the Clinical/Field Pre-Placement Health Form (above) document for due date.

Step 5 – Standard First Aid & CPR-C Certification

  • Only Workplace Safety Insurance Board (WSIB) approved courses are valid. Online Standard First Aid & CPR-C Certification courses will not be accepted. Please contact the Clinical Placement Clerk if you want to know if a course you are registering for is valid. 
  • Please refer to the Clinical/Field Pre-Placement Health Form (above) document for due date.

Step 6 – N95 Mark Fit Test

  • Opportunities to complete mask fit requirement will be provided at the College. 
  • Must note expire prior to the end of the academic year.

Step 7 – Seasonal Influenza Vaccination

  • Influenza vaccine is required annually. 
  • Please refer to the Clinical/Field Pre-Placement Health Form (above) document for due date.

Step 8 – Second Semester: Police Check / Vulnerable Sector Check

  • Algonquin College only accepts Vulnerable Sector Checks (VSC). Scanned copy must be submitted to Placement Pass, and original copy kept in your personal file to be provided to agencies upon request. 
  • You must be at least 18 years of age to obtain a VSC. 
  • Please print the agency letter to provide to your local police service to obtain your VSC. 
  • A VSC may take up to 10 weeks to obtain depending on your local police service.
  • Keep the receipt – it may be submitted as proof of purchase if your police service is experiencing a delay. 
  • Students with a notation on their VSC must contact the Academic Chair of the Health & Community Studies Department to determine program suitability. If a student has been charged or has pending charges against them while in a clinical placement, the student must notify the Academic Chair. Failure to do so may result in loss of clinical placement. 
  • As per our placement agencies’ policies, a Vulnerable Sector Check needs to be current within 6 months. Therefore, a second VSC is required prior to entering your second semester. 
  • Please refer to the Clinical/Field Pre-Placement Health Form (above) document for due dates.

Step 9 – GPA (Gentle Persuasive Approach)

GPA education will be provided by the College, and you will be able to sign up for it once you are on campus and classes have started. Purchase of the GPA Basics Manual is mandatory and is part of your book list.

Students are responsible for all costs associated with the Clinical/Field placement requirements.

Submission Instructions

Clinical/Field Placement Requirements clearance process is done through Placement Pass by ParaMed, an approved third-party agency who processes Algonquin College students’ documentation.

To upload and submit your documentation to the Placement Pass website, go to: https://algonquincollege.requisite.ca/.

To gain access to Placement Pass by ParaMed you must:
– be registered (tuition fees paid)
– have received your Algonquin College network account information
**Please note that your Algonquin College network account will not be created until 2 weeks before the start of the semester. Your Algonquin College network account is used to access almost all college digital services including student email.

Instructions on how to activate your Placement Pass student account, and upload and submit documents can be found in the Placement Pass by ParaMed: Student User Guide.

Adobe Scan or an alternate mobile app can be utilized to scan all the documents you are required to upload/submit.

Fee(s) will apply once you submit documents. The cost for your first comprehensive submission will be $65 in your first semester. All other submissions in the same semester will be at no additional cost.

In your second semester and on, the first submission of the semester will be $32.50 with additional uploads being free. However, if you are only submitting a Vulnerable Sector Check (VSC), proof of Influenza vaccination or COVID vaccination those uploads are always free, and you will not be charged $32.50. If you are required to submit proof of other immunizations, bloodwork, or certifications there will be the $32.50 fee associated with that upload.

Fees include unlimited nurse interactions via the “Ask a Nurse” feature, and access to student drop-in sessions.

Keep all original documents, as you may have to provide it to agencies upon request.

Missed Deadlines

Failure to adhere to the mandatory placement requirements deadlines may result in:

  1. An administrative late fee of $50.00. This fee is payable to Algonquin College – Pembroke Campus
  2. A hold on your registration in the practicum/placement course until all requirements are submitted. This hold may result in the loss of the academic term. Students will not be cleared for placement until all requirements are submitted
  3. A Professionalism Letter on your student file

Contact

If you have any questions or encounter unforeseen circumstances in submitting the required documentation, please contact the Clinical Placement Clerk prior to the requirement deadline.

Lindsay Burbage
Clinical Placement Clerk
Email: burbagl@algonquincollege.com
Phone: 613.735.4700 ext. 2671