Accepted Nursing Students

The ability to:

• Perceive events realistically, to think clearly and rationally, and to function appropriately in routine and stressful situations.
• Independently and accurately assess or contribute to the assessment of a client.
• Identify changes in client health status
• Prioritize multiple nursing activities in a variety of situations

Careful thought, reasoned judgment. Differentiated from personal opinion and superficial memorization of facts by the ability to obtain and use an appropriate quantity and quality of data for a given situation.

Critical thinkers question assumptions, routines, and rituals, reconsider "known facts" when new information becomes available and develop new "rules" when old ones fail or are unavailable.

Critical thinking skills demanded of nurses require the ability to learn and reason: to integrate, analyze and synthesize data concurrently.

Students must be able to solve problems rapidly, consider alternatives, and make a decision for managing or intervening in the care of a client.

• Able to make effective decisions in the classroom and in the clinical sites.
• Develop/contribute to nursing care plans that accurately reflect client concerns.
• Able to make decisions reflective of classroom learning in the clinical sites.

Communicate in English with others in oral and written form. Able to communicate with clients and members of the health care team in order to plan and deliver safe care.

• Utilize oral and written communication skills sufficiently for teaching/learning and for interaction with others.
• Read, understand, write, and speak English.
• Explain treatment procedures.
• Initiate and/or reinforce health teaching.
• Document client responses.
• Clarify communication received.

Interact with clients, families, staff, peers, instructors, and groups from a variety of social, emotional, cultural and intellectual backgrounds

• Establish rapport with clients, families, and colleagues.
• Respond in a professional and therapeutic manner to a variety of client expressions and behaviors.

Ambulatory capability sufficient to maintain a center of gravity when met with an opposing force as in lifting, supporting, and/or transferring a client.

• Position clients.
• Reach, manipulate and operate equipment/ instruments, supplies (ie syringes, monitors, sterile equipment).
• Perform/use electronic documentation
• Lift, carry, push and pull.
• Perform CPR.

• Reach, manipulate and operate equipment/ instruments, supplies (ie syringes, monitors, sterile equipment).
• Perform/use electronic documentation
• Lift, carry, push and pull.
• Perform CPR.

Ambulatory capability sufficient to maintain a center of gravity when met with an opposing force as in lifting, supporting, and/or transferring a client.

• Propel wheelchairs, stretchers, etc. alone or with assistance as available.
• Transport supplies to client room.
• Work around bedside with other personnel.
• Lift a child.
• Move and lift clients in and out of bed, wheelchair, or cart.
• Assist with the transfer and walking of clients who may require substantial support.

Ability to tolerate lengthy periods of physical activity, move quickly and/or continuously, and tolerate long periods of standing and/or sitting.

Auditory ability sufficient to hear normal conversation and/or assess health needs.

Ability to monitor alarms, emergency signals, auscultation of sounds (ie BP, heart, lung, bowel), cries for help, telephone interaction and dictation.

Communicates with clients, families and colleagues.

Visual ability sufficient for observation, assessment, and performance of safe nursing care.

• Observes client responses.
• Discriminates color changes.
• Accurately reads measurements on client-related equipment.
• Read medication labels.
• Evaluate for safe environment

Tactile ability sufficient for physical assessment, inclusive of size, shape, temperature, and texture.

• Performs palpation.
• Performs functions of physical examination and/or those related to therapeutic intervention, ie catheter insertion

Possess the emotional health required for full use of their intellectual abilities, the exercise of good judgment, and the prompt and safe completion of all responsibilities.

• Demonstrate professional abilities of trustworthiness, empathy, integrity, confidentiality, etc. in work, school, or volunteer activities
• Be able to change, and display flexibility
• Learn to function in the face of uncertainties and stressful situations

Ability to tolerate environmental stressors.

• Work with chemical and detergents
• Tolerate exposure to odors
• Work in close proximity to others
• Work in areas of potential physical violence
• Work with infectious agents and blood-borne pathogens
• Work in environments that may have allergens such as latex