Nursing Essential Skills & Functional Abilities

Nursing Essential Skills and Functional Abilities are the essential functions every nursing student is expected to perform and are necessary for successful participation in a nursing program. This form will be completed online at the time the application is submitted. These are necessary to provide safe, ethical, and legal healthcare services. Students participating in a nursing program are expected to demonstrate the essential functions listed in this form, with or without reasonable accommodation. These are applicable in classrooms, laboratories, and clinical settings. The nursing program uses independent clinical education sites that may or may not be able to offer the same reasonable accommodations that are made available by the College. Any student wishing to request reasonable accommodations due to a documented disability must initiate the process for requesting student accommodations. 

The essential skills and functional abilities outline reasonable expectations of a student in a professional nursing program for the performance of common functions. The student must be able to meet the following requirements to apply for admission and continuation in a nursing program.

Minimum abilities expected include, but are not limited to the following:

Essential Functions Definitions Examples
Observation

Ability to participate actively in all demonstrations, laboratory exercises, and clinical experiences in the Nursing program component and to assess and comprehend the condition of all clients assigned to him/her for examination, diagnosis, and treatment. Such observations and information usually require functional use of visual, auditory, and somatic sensations.
  • Visually discriminating incremental readings on syringes and other various medical equipment
  • Visually discriminating between different colored objects
  • Discriminating between auditory stimuli
  • Perform a comprehensive assessment of patients
Communication Ability to communicate effectively in English using verbal, non-verbal, and written formats with faculty, students, clients, families, and all members of the healthcare team. Ability to read English and interpret without assistance.
  • Patient teaching
  • End of shift reports
  • Documentation in legal records/charts
  • Medication records
  • Transcribe doctor’s orders from a chart, interpret, and implement
  • Collaborate with members of a healthcare team
Motor Sufficient motor ability to execute the movement and skills required for safe and effective care and/or emergency treatment.
  • Standing for long periods of time (8-12 hrs./day)
  • Lifting up to 50 lbs.
  • Performing one person and/or two-person transfers
  • Turning, log rolling, and ambulating another person
  • Manipulating equipment
  • Performing patient care procedures with finger and manual dexterity (i.e., starting IVs, phlebotomy, dressing changes, catheterization)
Intellectual Ability to collect, interpret, and integrate information and make decisions. Ability to read and interpret the English language without assistance.
  • Transcribe orders from a chart, interpret the orders, and intervene
  • Display critical thinking abilities in planning patient care- analyze data, formulate a diagnosis, and prioritize care

Behavioral & Social Attributes

 Possess the emotional health and stability required for full utilization of the student's intellectual abilities, the exercise of good judgment, the prompt completion of all academic and patient care responsibilities, and the development of mature, sensitive, and effective relationships with clients and other members of the healthcare team. Possess the ability to tolerate taxing workloads, function effectively under stress, adapt to changing environments, display flexibility, and learn to function in the face of uncertainties inherent in clinical/practicum settings with patients. Possess compassion, integrity, concern for others, and motivation. Possess the ability to demonstrate professional behaviors and a strong work ethic and respect professional boundaries.
  • Utilize intellectual abilities
  • Exercise good judgment and complete tasks within required time limits
  • Demonstrate the emotional health required for full utilization of intellectual abilities and exercise of good judgment
  • Show integrity, concern for others, interpersonal skills, interest, and motivation

 

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