Technical Requirements for Pre-licensure Program Nursing Students

To ensure the safety and success of all students in both classroom and clinical settings, nursing students must meet specific technical standards. These essential functions reflect the demands of real-world nursing environments and are critical to providing safe, effective patient care.

Students in the following pre-licensure programs - Associate of Science in Nursing, Bachelor of Science in Nursing, Accelerated Bachelor of Science in Nursing (16-month ABSN and 24-month ABSN programs) and the Accelerated Direct-Entry Master in Nursing - must meet the following functional abilities and technical standards:

These abilities are foundational for performing nursing tasks and ensuring patient safety.

Mobility and Gross Motor Skills

You must be able to:

• Stand and maintain balance, bend, twist, stoop/squat, reach above shoulders, reach to floor, move within confined spaces, and move with coordination and safe speed.

Fine Motor Skills

You must be able to:

• Pinch/pick up objects with both hands, grasp small objects with hands/fingers, twist with hands, write with pen or pencil, and use electronic equipment.

Physical Strength and Endurance

You must be able to:

• Carry equipment and supplies, transfer/transport patients, and sit and stand for prolonged periods of time.

Sensory Abilities

You must be able to:

• Tactile: feel vibration, detect temperature, and feel differences in surface characteristics.
• Hearing: hear, normal speaking level sounds, faint body sounds, and auditory alarms.
• Visual: distinguish letters in 12-point font and objects both close and distant, use depth perception, use peripheral vision, and distinguish color and intensity of color.
• Olfactory: detect smoke and odors.

These communication and emotional intelligence skills are required to success in a variety of health care environments.

Communication Skills

You must be able to:

• Read, write, speak, and understand English at a level consistent with successful course completion.
• Participate in classroom and laboratory discussions and activities.
• Develop therapeutic patient and family relationships.
• Establish professional relationships with faculty, other students, staff of affiliated Agencies, and members of the community.
• Express feelings and ideas professionally.
• Provide and accept feedback respectfully.

Cognitive and Critical Thinking Skills

You must be able to:

• Participate in intellectual activities requiring critical thinking, judgment, and analysis.
• Demonstrate arithmetic competency.
• Solve problems and plan care within reasonable time limits within a complex environment.

Emotional Health

You must be able to:

• Fully use cognitive abilities.
• Adapt to unexpected changes and stressful situations.
• Exercise good judgment.
• Provide safe and competent care.
• Complete program responsibilities within a timely manner.
• Establish and sustain mature, effective, and sensitive relationships with patients and colleagues.
• Empathize with the feelings and situations of others.

The Young School of Nursing is committed to supporting all students in meeting these requirements. If you have concerns about your ability to meet these standards, please contact the Associate Dean for Pre-licensure Nursing.