Benefits of taking PSW program instead of Pre health program

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Both apparently are great ways to get your foot in the door towards a career in Nursing. However, i noticed that when it came down to Canadians, many opted to go the Pre health Route instead of PSW and i never understood why.

After reading many post regarding the American Nursing Forum, it seems as if CNA which is the American equivalent to PSW, is the more popular route for Americans; where as in Canada its Pre Health. Lets not forget that most PSW programs in Canada are basic enough where you can take pre req courses for BSCN or RPN while in the program.

I understand that here in Canada many PSW programs are 12 months and expensive. However, the experience you gain working as a nurse aid is worth the price in my opinion. You not only gain clinical experience working along side nurses, you get the basic theory component of nursing, which will help prepare you for the RPN program or BSCN program.

There are bridging programs tailored to PSW's wanting to go into RPN. George brown has one that is only 1 semester long and after completion you can apply to January start year of the RPN program. You also have the option of taking pre req for the BSCN program while in PSW school. That way once you're done, not only do you have a job in the nursing profession, you have the credits necessary to go directly to BSCN or RPN program debt free! (average pre health school is 4000 when you can get the same credits for free at night school or 40$ through ILC online)

So my question is why don't Canadians see the benefit of taking PSW program instead of Pre health? It seems to me that Pre Health program is a money scam..

I hope that i helped at least someone when it comes to seeing the benefits of taking the PSW program because its really underrated here in Canada and Pre Health is such a money scam.

Ok then.... ;) just because you feel ILC is free because it's a lot cheaper than other options doesn't make it free (most people equate free to being $0). I'm taking ILC courses because it is a lot cheaper than going through pre-health, so I agree with you on that. However, there are other reasons why people take pre-health over doing ILC. Some people choose pre-health because they rather be in a classroom setting learning things hands on and they don't have access to an adult/alternative school. I live in rural eastern ontario and there are no night schools. Doing correspondence through ILC isn't for everyone, you have to wait usually 2 days for a question to be answered through email and units take at least a week to get marked (it's a very slow process). If you're getting close to deadlines to apply for school, they will not mark your work any faster (check out the ILC facebook page)

If you decide to do psw and do ILC courses, they're not bad. I'm doing the U level courses and they're really straightforward. Good luck with whatever you choose :)

I am taking ILC courses already. I'm sorry I didn't say "They are practically free when you compare ten dollars to thousands of dollars" and I do hope that you recover soon.

OP (and I) never said this route was for everyone. So why are bringing that up again?

That's what I was trying to pointing out. People are being catty, petty and misconstruing what that she was trying to convery. That's pretty self-evident.

Good luck to you as well.

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I think it's pretty evident that you have been a bit catty and petty. Some of your comments have conviently dissapeared/edited and your first comment stating "And for the record.... ILC courses/night courses are free!" Talk to the hand doesn't have any hint of attitude really? :sarcastic: I'm sorry to be the one to break this to you but you are going to encounter all different personalities and attitudes being a PSW or a nurse and if you're deeply offendend by what others have posted in this older thread, then I don't know what else to tell you. I see there is no point in replying further to this because you come across as being passive agressive and highly sensitive when Ijust pointed out that ILC is not free and you made it a big deal. Please don't ask me to point out where you have been catty or passive aggressive because you have edited/deleted those posts. Anyway, I'm not going to reply again because this is going off topic. Bye

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I think it's pretty evident that you have been a bit catty and petty. Some of your comments have conviently dissapeared/edited and your first comment stating "And for the record.... ILC courses/night courses are free!" Talk to the hand doesn't have any hint of attitude really? :sarcastic: I'm sorry to be the one to break this to you but you are going to encounter all different personalities and attitudes being a PSW or a nurse and if you're deeply offendend by what others have posted in this older thread, then I don't know what else to tell you. I see there is no point in replying further to this because you come across as being passive agressive and highly sensitive when Ijust pointed out that ILC is not free and you made it a big deal. Please don't ask me to point out where you have been catty or passive aggressive because you have edited/deleted those posts. Anyway, I'm not going to reply again because this is going off topic. Bye

As I said I was misinformed because ILC courses in my county are, technically, free minus the ten dollar registration. The courses themselves do not cost anything.

If you can't appreciate that or meet me half way in my error that says more about my personality than yours. Once you told me courses cost $40 in other areas I acknowledged my error. I validated your perspective and all you did was admonish mine. Not my problem.

Good luck with everything. And, unlike you, I actually mean that without a hint of sarcasm, derision or disrespect. I also have zero interest in assuming things about your fitness to work based on an internet forum and I suggest you extend the same fair play to others! :up:

Who ever "gets personal" first (as you have done) in an argument lacks class and is almost always the loser. Something to keep in mind.

"deeply offendend by what others have posted in this older thread"

Not offended! Just observing that they seemingly willfully misconstrued what OP was saying.

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Not true. I dont know where you live in Ontario but night school for college courses is not free. I was a psw while in nursing school (in ontario) and i did not take a psw course. My first year of BScN was all i needed. You do not get the proper sciences for BScN in psw course which is why people take pre health. Also while a psw is a very valuable part of the team they are not nurses and cannot be called nurses simply because they are providing care. The term "nurse" is a protected title.

Night school here in Ontario is indeed free, I can confirm it since I took it myself last semester! *Not for college courses, but OP is talking about high school pre-requisites in English, Biology, Chemistry, and Math.*

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Being a PSW does actually give you experience in nursing. I work in the community as a PSW and have learned catheterization, breath stacking, checking vitals ect. Also you learn about anatomy on a daily basis, and also pick up on medical terminology... Just saying 

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