Performance Standards for Nursing Students
Applicants accepted into the Boise State University School of Nursing will need cognitive ability, emotional stability and physical endurance to successfully complete the Program. When determining suitability for professional nursing, the applicant must be able to measure, calculate, reason, analyze, integrate, synthesize and evaluate in the context of undergraduate nursing study.
He/she must not pose a significant risk to the health and safety of themselves or others.
| Performance Requirement | Description | Standard | Examples of Actions(Not inclusive) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Critical Thinking | Ability to problem solve | Critical thinking ability sufficient for clinical judgment. | Ability to collect data, analyze, integrate and generalize information and knowledge to make clinical judgments and management decisions that promote positive outcomes. |
| Communication | Communication skills sufficient to speak, comprehend and write (print and cursive) in English. | Communication sufficient for accurate verbal, nonverbal and written professional interactions. | Ability to explain procedures, initiate health teaching, document and interpret nursing actions a patient/client responses. |
| Interpersonal Skills | Ability to relate to others | Interpersonal ability sufficient to provide safe care of populations of individuals, families, groups and other health care professionals. | Identify needs of others, establish rapport with patients, families and colleagues, engage in successful conflict resolution. |
| Emotional/Behavior | Emotional and mental stability | Demonstrates appropriate behavior to function effectively under stress and assume accountability for one’s actions. | Demonstrate the ability to function effectively under stress. Communicate empathy, recognize that his or her values, attitudes, beliefs, emotions and experiences affect his or her perceptions and relationships with others. |
| Mobility/Endurance | Physical ability, strength, stamina | Ability to execute movements required to provide general care and treatment to patients in all health settings, including functioning in emergency situations and providing basic life support. | Stand for at least one hour at a time and may be required to stand for a total of 5 or more hours during a shift. Lift at least 20 pounds and occasionally may be required to lift up to 50 pounds. |
| Motor Skills | Physical ability, coordination, dexterity | Fine and gross motor functions to provide safe effective nursing care. | Be able to walk, stand, turn, twist, bend, stoop, pull, push, reach for extended periods and maneuver is small spaces. Lift, transfer, ambulate and position patients. Manipulate small equipment and containers such as syringes, vials and medication packages. |
| Hearing | Use of auditory sense | Auditory ability sufficient to monitor and assess health needs. | Ability to hear alarms and other emergency signals, normal speaking level sounds, cries for help, and auscultatory sounds on assessments. |
| Visual | Use of sight | Visual ability sufficient for observation and assessment. | Observe patient condition and responses to treatments.Ability to detect changes in physical appearance.Read medication labels, calibrations on syringes and written communication accurately. |
| Tactile | Use of touch | Tactile ability sufficient for physical assessment. | Ability sufficient to perform physical assessments including palpation, pulses, changes in skin temperature and anatomical abnormalities. |
| Professional Conduct | Ability to reason morally and practice nursing in an ethical manner | Possess attributes that include compassion, empathy, altruism, integrity, honesty, responsibility and tolerance. | Provide care to all patient populations including children adolescents, adults, developmentally disabled persons, medically compromised patients and other vulnerable adults. |
Reasonable Accommodation for Disabilities
Upon admission, an applicant who discloses a disability and requests accommodation may be asked to provide documentation of his or her disability and to collaborate with Student Disability Services. The School is not required to make modifications that would substantially alter the nature or requirements of the program or provide accommodations that present an undue burden to the School. To matriculate or continue in the curriculum, the candidate must be able to perform all the essential functions either with or without accommodation.