Technical standards outline the skills and expectations required for students to successfully enter, progress through, and complete the program. They ensure clarity and consistency for students, faculty, staff, administration, and disability services. These standards apply equally to all students.
If you require accommodations to fully participate in the program, please contact the Office of Disability Services to confidentially discuss your needs. Technical standards can be met with or without accommodations, and the examples provided are not all encompassing.
Technical Standard, Definition and Examples
Skills that demonstrate the use of judgment and problem-solving needed to prioritize responses and interventions that maintain safety and provide care for patients.
Examples:
- Be able to gather, analyze, and synthesize data.
- Interpret and apply written and verbal directions.
- Understand and interpret medical terminology to prepare precise and succinct reports for lab classes and clinicals, including progress notes, and other data that records patient treatments, reactions, evaluate their progress, and record patient charges for services rendered.
Maintenance of physical abilities sufficient to perform treatments, move from room to room, and maneuver in small spaces.
Examples:
- Fine motor hand control sufficient to perform regular dexterous activities to manipulate various types of equipment.
- Able to twist, bend, stoop, crawl, climb, kneel, and reach above shoulder level.
- Move multiple pieces of equipment while helping patient turn or ambulate.
- Perform treatment activities in class and the clinical setting.
Sense of touch sufficient to perform a physical examination and to detect movement.
Examples:
- Able to touch, assess, and interpret tactile sensations, including but not limited to detecting pulses, breathing, and determine skin turgor.
Sufficient physical ability and stamina to attend classes and provide care to patients.
Examples:
- Sit for 2-10 hours in class or clinical, stand for 1-2 hours, walk/travel for 2 hours daily.
- Able to bend, stoop, reach, and lift.
- Attend class for 3-4 hours at a time, for 12 or more hours a week.
- Attend clinical rotations up to 40 or more hours a week.
- Occasionally lift up to 50 pounds, frequently lift 25 pounds, and constantly lift 10 pounds from floor to shoulder level or overhead
Hearing sufficient to monitor and assess health needs.
Examples:
- Ability to be aware of a patient’s reaction to treatments or to anticipate potential hazards.
- Anticipate potential hazards and respond to cries for help.
Vision sufficient for observation and assessment necessary to provide care.
Example
- Including but not limited to observing patient response to treatment, changes in skin color.
- Able to see details at close range and use medical equipment and read instructions/safety warnings.
- Work in environments with fluorescent lighting for up to 12 hours at a time.
Use of therapeutic communication that fosters collaboration with the patient, family, and members of the interdisciplinary healthcare team.
Examples:
- Participate in classroom discussion and have respectful/diplomatic interaction with classmates, faculty, nursing units, physicians, clients and their families, other department staff, and co-workers, record patient treatments, reactions, and evaluate their progress.
- Interpersonal skills sufficient to have professional discussions and interactions with individuals and groups.
- Follow directions and perform assigned activities.
- Communicate with patients to perform assessment and provide education/explanation.
Ability to work well with others using active listening and cooperation.
Examples:
- Work effectively with others demonstrating tact, discretion, and diplomacy.
- Supervise others in lab classes and clinical sites.
- Must be able to maintain calm, effective, and accurate performance in stressful situations.
- Interact with anxious or upset classmates, patients, and family members.
Olfaction sufficient to detect odors and tolerate various odors.
Examples:
- Tolerate body and chemical odors.
The ability to adapt to changing environments and work-related challenges while maintaining composure in stressful situations. Consistently demonstrate professional behaviors in attitude, communication, and work ethic while adhering to professional boundaries.
Examples:
- Behavior that demonstrates respect of self and others, and behavior that demonstrates initiative, cooperation, and professionalism.
- Awareness of and loyal adherence to all applicable policies and procedures of the program and clinical sites.
- Follow appropriate chain of command for grievance procedures.
- Performance of duties that adhere to ethical and legal standards and promote a positive image of professional nursing.
- Performs duties within scope of practice.
- Work varied schedules (days, nights, weekends).
- Maintain professional appearance and hygiene.
- Manage time efficiently to complete assigned workload.
- Must be able to maintain calm, effective, and accurate performance in stressful situations.
- Work in high stress situations and respond appropriately.
We are committed to ensuring all students have the support they need to succeed in this program. If you have a documented disability, reasonable accommodations will be provided unless they fundamentally alter essential training requirements, create undue hardship, or pose a safety risk to you or others.
Disability Services Statement
If you have a documented disability and need accommodations, please contact the Disability Services Office (Ward Hall Building; 252-638-1454) as soon as possible—ideally before classes or field experiences begin. You are also encouraged to inform your instructor as needed so we can best support your learning.