Hello,

I am hoping someone can help me with some questions some of my peers and I have regarding finding part-time work in Ontario.

Since PSWs (Personal Support Workers) are not regulated (my professor told us the other day), can a first year nursing student potentially work as a nurse's aide if the employer would allow?

Do you know of any nursing students that have been hired as a nurse's aide without a certificate or diploma? Is it common?

Any relevant advice or information would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you!

It depends on the employer, since more employers are requiring certification. However, once you have completed a year of nursing school, many employers regard this education as your "certification" for PSW, so to speak. When I was in nursing school, three of my friends worked as aides. One had her aide certification, the other two did not.

Hey there, I got hired in my first year of nursing as a PSW and i know another student that got hired before she even started. I know many students who got hired at different facilities, and they don't ask for certification if they know your n the nursing program.The first year of nursing helps because the skills you learn are essentially skills performed by PSW's. It can be rough at first starting as a PSW. I know when I started I went from caring for two residents in placement to taking care of 9 which kept me busy. Its definitely a good experience though; you gain and strengthen skills and the pay isn't bad at all.