Training

PDSB: the safe patient handling training, explained

PDSB is now called PDSP. Length, content, price, card and accredited instructors: what the ASSTSAS, which owns the program, says.

October 10, 2026 · Lire en français

Training

PDSB is the ASSTSAS training on safe patient handling, that is, moving people safely. It is now called PDSP. Here is what the official sources say about its content, length, price and card.

What PDSB means, and its current name

PDSB stands for "Principes pour le déplacement sécuritaire des bénéficiaires" (safe patient handling principles). According to the management guide published by the ASSTSAS in February 2022, the training is now called "Principes pour le déplacement sécuritaire de personnes" (principles for moving people safely), or PDSP. The guide states that PDSP carries on from PDSB.

The ASSTSAS, the joint health and safety association of the health and social services sector, owns the program and accredits its instructors. The goal of the training: learning to protect yourself from musculoskeletal disorders during care and while moving people.

Who the training is for

According to the ASSTSAS page, the theory component is for four groups:

Workers who provide direct care or services
Their managers
People who prescribe care
People in charge of prevention in the institution

The patient care attendant belongs to the first group. The 2022 guide requires no prerequisite for the workers' track.

The two components and their length

	Theory component	Practical component
Format	Online self-study	In a training room, in a real care setting or both
Length	3.5 hours	Varies. 7 hours for a group of 8 participants in a room
With whom	On your own, on the ASSTSAS Portail Apprendre	A PDSP instructor accredited by the ASSTSAS
Result	Preliminary certificate	PDSP card

Sources: ASSTSAS, theory component page, consulted on October 10, 2026, and training standards from the Guide du moniteur, 2024.

According to the ASSTSAS standards, the online training has 11 modules, including a final test of 20 questions. The 2022 guide sets the passing mark at 80%.

The practical component begins no later than 60 days after passing the test. After that deadline, the participant retakes the test and receives a certificate with the new date. An instructor supervises no more than 8 participants.

Staff of Santé Québec institutions take the theory component on the ENA platform, the ASSTSAS says.

The content, by its headings

The ASSTSAS reminder sheet dated February 2021 names six basic principles:

Moving a person is care
All care involves a relationship
No care by force, without giving up on care
Encourage the person's abilities
Minimize the caregiver's effort
Seek the safest and most reassuring care possible

The practical component follows five reference workbooks:

Seated transfers
Surface mobilizations
Moving on the floor
Equipment to reduce friction
Ergonomic principles for preventing musculoskeletal disorders

Who gives the training

The practical component is given by a PDSP instructor accredited by the ASSTSAS. According to the 2022 guide, this instructor is employed by the institution or is a consultant hired by the institution.

The theory component page gives the steps to follow: contact the PDSP instructor at your institution.

In schools, teachers give the training. The ASSTSAS "PDSP écoles" page is aimed at teaching staff of schools certified by the ASSTSAS and names the APED, SASI and RAC programs. APED refers to the DEP in Assistance à la personne en établissement et à domicile (personal assistance in institutions and at home), the 870-hour program that trained attendants. It is replaced by DEP 5405. Your training centre will tell you whether PDSP is part of your program.

The price

The theory component is free, according to the ASSTSAS page consulted on October 10, 2026. The ASSTSAS lists no price for the practical component. It depends on the instructor and the institution that organizes it.

The PDSP card and how long it is valid

The preliminary certificate received after the online test is not the PDSP card. The ASSTSAS writes this in capital letters on its page.

After the practical component, the instructor requests the card from the ASSTSAS on the participant's behalf.

The 2022 guide is clear: "The PDSP card has no expiry date." The ASSTSAS therefore imposes no refresher training on the worker. It encourages institutions to plan continuing education, in the form of short training capsules and mentoring.

Becoming a PDSP instructor

The "PDSP moniteurs" training lasts 35 hours. It costs $416 per person at the ASSTSAS offices, or $4,160 per group in an institution, according to the page consulted on October 10, 2026.

The candidate is delegated by their institution. According to the 2022 guide, the instructor takes part in a reaccreditation activity every three years.

The component for teachers lasts 28 hours and costs $832 per person.

What the law requires of the employer

Section 51 of the Act respecting occupational health and safety requires the employer to take the necessary measures to protect the health and ensure the safety and physical and psychological well-being of the worker. The CNESST (Quebec's labour standards and workplace safety board) lists among the employer's obligations informing the worker of the risks of their work, providing training and supervising them so they have the necessary skills and knowledge.

The ASSTSAS adds a caveat in its guide: training alone cannot eliminate musculoskeletal disorders. It is part of a broader prevention program. The same association offers the Oméga training, presented in the article on code white.

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Frequently asked questions

What is a PDSB?

It is the acronym for "Principes pour le déplacement sécuritaire des bénéficiaires", an ASSTSAS training on safe patient handling. It is now called PDSP, for "Principes pour le déplacement sécuritaire de personnes".

How much does PDSB training cost?

The online theory component is free, according to the ASSTSAS. The association lists no price for the practical component, which depends on the instructor.

How do I get a PDSB card?

In two steps, according to the ASSTSAS. You take the online theory training and pass the test, then you practise with an accredited PDSP instructor within 60 days. The instructor then requests the PDSP card from the ASSTSAS on your behalf.

Where can I find PDSP training in Quebec?

The theory component is taken online on the ASSTSAS Portail Apprendre, or on the ENA platform for Santé Québec staff. For the practical component, the ASSTSAS refers you to the PDSP instructor at your institution. Students in the programs named by the ASSTSAS take it with their teachers.