Technical Standards
Introduction
Certain functional abilities are essential for the delivery of safe, effective nursing care. These abilities are essential in the sense that they constitute core components of nursing practice, and there is a high probability that negative consequences will result for patient/clients under the care of nurses who fail to demonstrate these abilities. A program preparing students for the practice of nursing must attend to these essential functional abilities in the education and evaluation of its students.
This statement of the Technical Standards of the Nursing Program at Chemeketa Community College identifies the functional abilities deemed by the nursing faculty to be essential to the practice of nursing. Reference materials used in the development of these standards include Division 45 of the Administrative Rules of the Oregon State Board of Nursing (Standards and Scope of Practice for the Licensed Practical Nurse and the Registered Nurse); The Functional Abilities Essential for the Delivery of Safe, Effective Nursing Care (a 1999 descriptive research study conducted by the National Council of State Boards of Nursing); and Core Components and Competencies of ADN graduates developed by the Council of Associate Degree Nursing of the National League for Nursing (1999). The Technical Standards are reflected in the Nursing Program’s Performance-based Outcomes, which are the basis for teaching and evaluating all nursing students.
Students with disabilities who think they may require accommodation in meeting the Technical Standards of the Nursing Program should contact the Disability Services Office to discuss the process of identifying reasonable accommodations. This office is located in Building 2, first floor (telephone 503.399.5192 [voice/TTY] or email disability@chemeketa.edu). Students should seek accommodation advising as soon as possible after admission to the nursing program so that a plan for accommodation can be in place at the beginning of the program. Applicants seeking admission into the nursing program who may have questions about the technical standards and appropriate reasonable accommodations are invited to discuss their questions with the Office of Disability Services. Reasonable accommodation will be directed toward providing an equal educational opportunity for students with disabilities while adhering to the standards of nursing practice for all students. If a student is dissatisfied with the Disability Services, they may discuss their concerns with the Executive Dean of Students. (503.399.6148)
Standards
The practice of Nursing requires the following functional abilities with or without reasonable accommodations:
- Visual acuity sufficient
to assess patients and their environments and to implement
the nursing care plans that are developed from such assessments.
Examples of relevant activities:- Detect changes in skin color or integrity (pale, ashen, grey, or bluish)
- Collect data from recording equipment and measurement devices used in patient care
- Detect a fire in a patient area and initiate emergency action
- Draw up the correct quantity of medication into a syringe
- Hearing ability sufficient
to assess patients and their environments and to implement
the nursing care plans that are developed from such assessments.
Examples of relevant activities:- Detect sounds related to bodily functions
- Detect audible alarms within the frequency and volume ranges of the sounds generated by mechanical systems that monitor bodily functions
- Communicate clearly in telephone conversations
- Communicate effectively with patients and with other members
of the healthcare team
- Olfactory ability sufficient
to assess patients and to implement the nursing care plans
that are developed from such assessments.
Examples of relevant activities:- Detect foul odors of bodily fluids or spoiled foods
- Detect smoke from burning materials
- Tactile ability sufficient
to assess patients and to implement the nursing care plans
that are developed from such assessments.
Examples of relevant activities:- Detect changes in skin temperature
- Detect unsafe temperature levels in heat-producing devices used in patient care
- Detect anatomical abnormalities, such as subcutaneous crepitus, edema, or infiltrated intravenous fluid
- Detect changes in respiration rate
- Strength and mobility sufficient
to perform patient care activities and emergency procedures.
Examples of relevant activities:- Safely transfer patients in and out of bed and assist them with ambulation
- Safely control the fall of a patient
- Lift or move (turn, position) patients or objects, pull or push objects weighting up to 35 pounds
- Place or access equipment such as intravenous bags that are at shoulder or higher level
- Accurately read the volumes in body fluid collection devices hung below bed level
- Provide equipment and supplies to the client bedside
- Perform cardiopulmonary resuscitation
- Fine motor skills sufficient
to perform psychomotor skills integral to patient care.
Examples of relevant activities:- Safely dispose of needles in sharps containers
- Place and maintain position of stethoscope for detecting sounds of bodily functions
- Manipulate small equipment and containers, such as syringes,
vials, ampules, and medication packages, to administer medications
- Physical endurance sufficient
to complete assigned periods of clinical practice.
- Communicate information in oral and written form effectively, accurately, reliably, and intelligibly to individuals and groups, using the English language. Examples of relevant activities: a
- Process information thoroughly and quickly to prioritize and implement nursing care
- Sequence or cluster data to determine client needs
- Develop and implement a nursing plan of care for clients in acute, long term, and community settings
- Report verbally and in writing client data to members of the healthcare team
- Read, comprehend, and implement medical orders and client information found in the medical record
- Perform math computations for medication dosage calculations both with and without a calculator
- Emotional stability to
function effectively under stress, to adapt to changing situations,
and to follow through on assigned patient care responsibilities. Examples of relevant activities:
- Maintain effective, mature, and sensitive relationships with others
- Examine and modify one’s own behavior when it interferes with others or the learning environment
- Possess attributes that include compassion, empathy, altruism, integrity, honesty, responsibility, and tolerance
- Cognitive ability to
collect, analyze, integrate and recall information and knowledge to
make clinical judgments and management decisions that promote
positive patient outcomes.
- Recognize, understand, and interpret required instruction materials including written documents, computer information systems, and non-book resources.
- Follow universal precautions against contamination and cross contamination with infectious pathogens, toxins, and other hazardous chemicals.
Updated June 2010 by the Health Sciences Department.