Essential Functions
To meet the demands of the nursing profession and ensure safe, effective patient care, nursing students must be able to:
Physical and Motor Skills
- Sustain physical and mental performance for up to 12-hour clinical shifts.
- Safely assist and protect patients ambulating on various surfaces—with or without assistive devices (e.g., canes, walkers, crutches).
- Safely transfer a patient weighing over 100 pounds using proper assistance or equipment.
- Utilize safe body mechanics when lifting and carrying small (<50 lbs) and large (>50 lbs) equipment.
- Perform overhead reaching and simultaneous coordination of limb movements as needed for patient care and equipment use.
- Manipulate dials, buttons, and controls on medical equipment and devices.
Sensory Abilities
- Hear and interpret blood pressure, heart, and lung sounds with or without assistive devices.
- Palpate tissues to detect pulses, assess muscle tone, and identify anatomical landmarks.
- Distinguish subtle color changes in skin or fl uids.
- Detect environmental hazards such as unusual odors (e.g., smoke, spills, gas, electrical burning) and auditory cues (e.g., alarms, emergency signals)
Cognitive and Clinical Skills
- Perform sterile and non-sterile procedures safely and accurately.
- Follow infection control protocols and administer medications, including accurate dosage calculation.
- Demonstrate clinical judgment and prioritize care in rapidly changing environments.
Communication and Interpersonal Skills
- Communicate effectively, safely, and efficiently in English, including:
- Explaining procedures clearly
- Understanding and processing written and verbal information
- Documenting clinical data and interventions accurately
- Exhibit professional behavior and interpersonal skills, in alignment with the ANA Code of Ethics for Nurses.
- Adapt to changes in clinical and academic environments.
- Establish and maintain effective, therapeutic relationships with patients, families, peers, faculty, and healthcare professionals.
Disclosure and Accommodation Process
If you believe you may not be able to perform any of the listed Essential Functions with or without a reasonable accommodation, you are encouraged to notify the Nursing Program Director and contact the Accessibility Services Office as early as possible to initiate the interactive accommodation process.