Students accepted into this program will need the cognitive ability, emotional stability, and physical endurance to complete the program and practice professional nursing. When determining professional suitability for the practice of professional nursing, the nursing student must be able to do the following: exercise safe judgments based on assessment data, remain visibly calm in emergency situations, interact in a caring manner with others, follow directions, effectively respond to the evaluation process, be flexible, and demonstrate honesty, integrity, commitment, cooperation, respect and accountability. The student must not pose a significant risk to the health and safety of himself or others.
The following are essential functions, abilities, and physical requirements for the nursing student:
- Critical thinking ability sufficient for clinical judgment (able to identify cause/effect relationships in clinical situations; able to develop nursing care plans; able to apply mathematical skills for calculating safe drug dosages).
- Interpersonal ability sufficient for interaction with individuals, families and groups from various social, emotional, cultural and intellectual backgrounds. Demonstrate self-control and ability to accept suggestions (able to establish rapport with patients/clients).
- Communications skills sufficient for verbal and written interactions with others (able to explain procedures, initiate health teaching, document and interpret nursing actions and patient/client responses, able to complete assignments and exams within specified time frames).
- Physical abilities sufficient for movement from room to room and in small spaces (able to move around in patient’s room, work spaces and treatment areas, able to administer cardio-pulmonary procedures, extended periods of walking/standing, twisting, bending, stooping, kneeling and reaching, pushing and pulling).
- Gross and fine motor skills sufficient for providing safe, effective nursing care (average lifting requirement is 10–50 pounds, able to calibrate and use equipment, able to turn, reposition, lift and ambulate patients).
- Auditory ability sufficient for monitoring and assessing health needs (able to hear monitor alarms, auscultatory sounds and cries for help).
- Visual ability sufficient for observation and assessment necessary in nursing care (observes patient/client responses, accurate preparation and administration of medication, utilizes devices for patient assessments).
- Tactile ability sufficient for physical assessment (able to perform palpation, functions of physical examination and /or those related to therapeutic interventions).
This description of the essential abilities of the nursing student is meant to include the major areas of responsibility and is not intended to be limited to the above information.
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After acceptance into the nursing program, a copy of the form “Essential Functions and Abilities of the Nursing Student” is mailed to each new student to review, sign, and return to the School. This information was outlined in the School Catalog and reviewed during the applicant interview. Disclosure of a disability prior to the program start date will allow the student time for their individual evaluation and submission of the written documentation to the School.
For reasonable accommodations to be considered, it is first necessary for the student to obtain a current (within one year) evaluation of the disability from a licensed/certified psychologist (with experience in the disability identified) and if appropriate, a medical doctor. The specific disability and recommendations should be described in the documentation submitted. The “Essential Functions and Abilities of the Nursing Student” serve as a guide for the written recommended accommodations.
Students who disclose a disability and request accommodation after the educational program begins, may experience a delay in the progress of their program until all required documentation is submitted and processed.
