Personal support worker turned away from vaccination clinic: Gelinas

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Nov 06, 2009- 9:30 AM

By: Sudbury Northern Life Staff

Nickel Belt MPP and NDP health and long-term care critic France Gélinas says personal support workers (PSWs), who provide frontline home-based care to frail patients, are being turned away from H1N1 flu vaccination clinics.

During Question Period Nov. 5, Gélinas asked Health Minister Deb Matthews about Fran Martens, a Windsor PSW who was refused an H1N1 vaccination and told PSW’s are not in the vaccination priority group. Martens bathes, cleans and assists 11 frail and elderly clients each day in their homes.

“PSWs are the back bone of our homecare system; they provide care to people at high risk for H1N1 which means they should be part of the priority list,” Gélinas said, in a news release.

“But if you search Community Care Access Centre websites, you will not find a single mention that PSWs are on the priority list to receive the vaccine, nor is there any message urging PSWs to be vaccinated. This seems to be a glaring omission.”

Gélinas said she was pleased to hear the minister say that PSWs are indeed part of the priority list for H1N1 vaccinations. However, Gélinas said she cannot understand why the Ministry of Health has failed to communicate this fact until now.

“I shake my head and wonder why the ministry has not properly communicated this to the agencies that provide the vaccination, the PSWs and the agencies responsible to deliver homecare,” Gelinas said. “I don’t think a minister’s response during Question Period – nearly two weeks into the vaccination campaign – is the best way to communicate who is and who is not a priority.”

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19 Comments

  • Reeves 11/8/2009 12:40:15 PM - Report Abuse

    I'm a psw , I've given medications and administered treatments galore. any psw working in a retirement home only has to take a 3 hr workshop and then you're considered trained in giving medications as it's a big part of the curriculum if you take the course. if we only did the job of 'maids' or 'meals on wheels' then why would every nursing home or retirement home (etc) require you to have a psw certificate which takes a minimum of at least 6 months of full time schooling to get, sometimes even longer. I know other people have already posted in response to some of the ignorant people who have already posted but I was so shocked by certain ones I couldn't help but want to respond with my opinion. Those people are the reason why psw's are fighting for our rights in the workplace, you don't need to be a genius to do our job, but you have to be trained, and you have to know more a lot more about health care than the 'maid' in order to begin to do you're job correctly. ( no offense to any maids out there, there's nothing wrong with that profession,I couldn't do my job very well without the cleaning and maintenance staff at my work)

  • No.One 11/8/2009 6:59:12 AM - Report Abuse

    PSW's have my respect, they do a very important job in health care.
    They were there for my father in his last years of life at home and in the hospital.They did there work with kindness and compatssion as well as humor.Thank You

  • No.One 11/8/2009 6:58:09 AM - Report Abuse

    PSW's have my respect, they do a very important job in health care.
    They were there for my father in his last years of life at home and in the hospital.They did there work with kindness and compatssion as well as humor.Thank You

  • 4gotten 11/8/2009 4:37:53 AM - Report Abuse

    To further add to Michelles comment:
    PSWs are the FIRST contact 'front line staff' to service clients who are returning home from hospital after they have been assessed by the Community Care Access Centre. The C.C.A.C. hospital case manager draws up a care plan in the hospital before the client returns home. Often times clients won't even require Nursing services. As we know, clients returning from hospital have been exposed to various infectious disease that are currently circulating in the health care setting.
    I am a PSW in the southern On region and we have been constantly updated via BlackBerry about clinics that are offering the vaccine in our area. It was also communicated to us that, if we didn't get the vaccine and there is an outbreak we will not be able to work and will not be paid. If anyone has any difficulties getting the vaccine please let your supervisor know.
    So what's wrong with you 'airheads' up there? This is a NO BRAINER!

  • Michele_2 11/8/2009 12:43:05 AM - Report Abuse

    In response to Phillip Morris I have to say how appauled I am at his ignorance and his snide remarks made about how PSW's are not part of health care. Sir, you are SO far from the truth. PSW's ARE health care. I'm upset that you can post your post and not have any idea what a PSW is? Like the other post's, WE ARE the FRONTLINE of health care. A few of our duties include assisting with all activities of daily living including bathing, toileting, dressing, mobility and feeding, sorting and bagging all soiled linen, making and changing beds, cleaning the resident rooms, we support client's independence regarding medications,
    recognize, report and chart changes in the client's behaviour/condition, we provide informal counselling, as needed. Please educate yourself before making such bogus comments. Michele PSW London, Ontario.

  • MAXIMVS-corruptioncentral 11/7/2009 10:50:53 PM - Report Abuse

    LsD...Vaccinating frontline workers first makes sense? Obviously... Is that why government didnt understand?

  • LD_1 11/7/2009 8:10:18 PM - Report Abuse

    Health care worker or not, the fact remains that they are providing care for people who are medically compromised. They require the vaccination because the people who they care for are at high risk. It makes sense.

  • second_account 11/7/2009 5:18:35 PM - Report Abuse

    Phillip Morris doesn't know what he's talking about folks, and his last proves it once more.
    PSWs -not('s)- are indeed health care workers. You don't need to administer drugs or apply bandages to be considered a "health care worker". Is a hospital admin worker not a health care worker? How about a personal nutritionist? What about occupational therapists?
    Seriously, some of the posters here crack me up....whiteswan saying OTHER people say stupid things..."simply" classic...

  • MAXIMVS-corruptioncentral 11/7/2009 3:59:40 PM - Report Abuse

    foil49...have you heard of many PSW's working for CAS's?

  • foil49 11/7/2009 10:47:32 AM - Report Abuse

    I have to answer the last comment made by Phillip who obviously does not know the extent of the services provided by PSWs. They ARE health care workers. They ARE front line workers. They ARE the first to be exposed to bugs, viruses, and they risk their lives on a daily basis. They need to have the vaccine in order to protect those they care for. PSWs are not just working in home care, they are the main front line workers in hospitals, nursing homes, retirement homes....lets give our PSWs a pat on the back and give them the respect they deserve.

  • Phillip Morris 11/7/2009 10:33:20 AM - Report Abuse

    PSW's are not health care workers.
    They are helpers that provide assistance to former patients that are at home. People that need a little extra to get through their day. An hour here and there.
    They don't administer medications. They are not under the direction of any physician. They are not nurses, paramedics, or doctors.

    The line has to be drawn somewhere for the vaccine. One small crack to justify maid like service would let a tide of other home care people demanding the shot. (Meals on Wheels. Molly Maid. Etcetera.)

    What we actually are seeing here is the NDP using pubic fear to try and gain some attention. Another weekly rant from France.

  • MAXIMVS-corruptioncentral 11/6/2009 5:15:29 PM - Report Abuse

    Gélinas said she was pleased to hear the minister say that PSWs are indeed part of the priority list for H1N1 vaccinations. However, Gélinas said she cannot understand why the Ministry of Health has failed to communicate this fact until now. Really Gelinas...when was Mathews supposed to communicate it? One can only communicate a fact when they are awaaer of it. She obviously wasn't. Many people can't understand Minister Mathews or the provincial Liberals as a whole. Up until just a few months ago, Ms. Mathews was the former minister responsible for Ontario's Children's Aid Society. She and the Liberal government said all the "right" things to justify denying the province's watchdog Ombudsman oversight of agencies responsible for children. Doesnt matter what party you belong to. The party is only as good as the people in it. We need more politicians who refused to tow party line (policy) and take a stand on issues. Our MPP bart who refused to vote on labour issue in Queens Park a few months ago says it all.
    Gelinas said...“I shake my head and wonder why the ministry has not properly communicated this to the agencies that provide the vaccination, the PSWs and the agencies responsible to deliver homecare,” “I don’t think a minister’s response during Question Period – nearly two weeks into the vaccination campaign – is the best way to communicate who is and who is not a priority.” Most of us now are all shaking ours heads. It seems the Liberal government refuses to communicate, regulate, etc many of the agencies they fund. A government agency is a business...Governments role in Valle says it all. Maybe the government does want the healthcare workers, PSW's etc to suffer any UNKNOWN longterm effects of vaccination?

  • skndstry 11/6/2009 4:37:33 PM - Report Abuse

    PSW's are health care workers.

    Your posts are a better example of mindless DRIVEL. (Not dribble - that's what you do in your underwear.)

  • SudburyBoy1234 11/6/2009 1:46:58 PM - Report Abuse

    He has done way more for this community than any NDP government or representative.

    Millions in health care dollars, infrastructure, policing and poverty reduction. You tell me, what did the NDP do from 1991-1995???? Not a damn thing.

    Lets face it, Gravelle and Thibeault were voted in as protest votes, and Gelinas simply capitalized on what the Martel's paved for her.

    It would be nice to see her go up against a strong candidate in the next election (as Dupuis was very weak) because she would get eaten alive.

    She has no real voice for herself and hasnt done anything for this community, except bring to our attention that candy flavoured cigarettes are bad for your health....hmmmm.

  • SudburyBoy1234 11/6/2009 1:41:12 PM - Report Abuse

    Beefy you are a joke just like Gelinas. And I would rather have my head in the sand than up my ass like you.

  • beefy 11/6/2009 12:32:56 PM - Report Abuse

    And you whiteswan always say stupid things about the NDP. They do a lot more for us than your hero Ricky does. Why don't you get your head out of the sand for once.

  • Lloyd 11/6/2009 11:16:00 AM - Report Abuse

    So Gelinas shakes her head does she? We shake our heads and can't understand why people in the Sudbury area keeps electing NDP nobodies, who bring nothing to the community. Lots of news releases criticizing this, whining about that - but never any tangible results, ever.

  • whiteswan69_1 11/6/2009 10:50:43 AM - Report Abuse

    I don't like Gelinas,she always says stupid things about our Provincial Government.I'm happy that she is not our MPP in Sudbury.

  • SudburyBoy1234 11/6/2009 9:52:54 AM - Report Abuse

    Im glad to see that she has the capacity to go on the web and see the priority groups for herself...she would see.

    The priority groups are :

    People under 65 – that includes adults and children down to six months of age - with chronic conditions; *
    Pregnant women; **
    Healthy children 6 months to under five years of age;
    People living in remote or isolated communities;
    Health care workers; and
    Household contacts and care providers of persons at high risk who cannot be immunized or may not respond to vaccines.

    NL...I know you endorse the NDP in all that they say and do, but a better story would be, "NDP Health Critic criticizes government without checking any facts for herself"

    This is mindless dribble.
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