Essential Performance Requirements
In order to accomplish the objectives of the nursing program safely,
students must possess the ability and fitness to perform in a manner
that will not jeopardize safety and well-being of their patients or
themselves. The Nursing Department may require nursing students who pose
a threat to the safety of others or to themselves in the health care
environment to withdraw from the nursing program pursuant to the policy
in the Otterbein University Course Catalog/Graduate Course Catalog on
withdrawal and subject to the Grade Policy in the Department of Nursing
Undergraduate/Graduate Student Handbook. All students admitted to the
nursing program must be able to meet the essential performance
requirements with or without accommodations. Each situation will be
reviewed on an individual basis.
These essential performance requirements include but are not limited to the following five areas of ability:
- Observation: Must be able to observe
demonstrations and experiments in the basic sciences. Must be able to
observe a patient accurately to identify cyanosis or absence of
respiratory movement and when a patient is in imminent danger; perform
equipment calibrations; read small print on medication containers,
physician’s orders and equipment monitors; and perform physical
assessments.
- Communication: Must be able to speak, hear and
observe patients in order to elicit information, describe changes in the
patient, and perceive nonverbal communications. Must be able to hear
monitor alarms, emergency signals, patients’ calls for help, call bells
from patients, stethoscope sounds originating from a patient’s blood
vessels, heart, lungs, and abdomen, etc. Must have verbal and language
capabilities to communicate effectively and sensitively with patients
regarding their nursing plan of care. Must have reading and writing
skills sufficient for patient communication, record keeping and
professional health care team interactions.
- Motor: Must be able to stand for prolonged
periods of time, perform cardiopulmonary resuscitation, quickly move
about and transport patients during emergencies, carry infants, maneuver
quickly in confined spaces, etc. Other motor requirements include
carrying equipment, pushing, pulling, stooping, kneeling, bending, and
climbing stairs. Must be able to lift, push and pull with assistance
(mechanical or co-worker) the weight of the average patient specific to
the clinical area working in. Other motor skills include eye-hand-foot
coordination, repetitive arm and hand movements and finger dexterity,
using sterile techniques, inserting catheters, preparing and
administering medication (oral, intramuscular, intravenous)
and numerous other invasive procedures.
- Intellectual-Conceptual, Integrative and Quantitative Abilities:
These abilities include measurement, calculation, reasoning, analysis,
and synthesis. Problem solving, a critical skill for nurses, requires
all of these intellectual abilities. Must be able to collect data
pertinent to a patient’s health, analyze the assessment data, identify
outcomes for an individualized plan of care for the patient, develop a
plan of care that prescribes strategies to attain the expected outcomes,
and evaluate the achievement of the expected patient care outcomes.
The ability to incorporate new information from peers, teachers, and the
professional literature in formulating diagnoses and care plans is
essential.
- Behavioral, Social and Ethical Attributes:
Emotional stability and the ability to accept responsibility and
accountability is essential. Must be capable of developing mature,
sensitive and effective relationships with patients from diverse social,
cultural and ethnic backgrounds. Must have awareness of ethical
actions related to the well being of others and as part of the direct
patient service role required of registered nurses. Must be able to
tolerate physically and mentally taxing workloads and function
effectively under stress.
- Must have a valid Ohio Driver’s License or access to transportation to local/regional
clinical and observational sites.
Disability Services
The
Office of Disability Services (ODS) at Otterbein University is
charged with ensuring that all qualified students with disabilities have
equal access to an education and to campus life. This access is
provided to students through the provision of legally mandated (Section
504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the Americans with
Disabilities Act) services, accommodations, and advocacy. Accommodations
might include extra time for exams, distraction reduced test space,
note taking assistance and priority registration. ODS provides services
to students with obvious physical disabilities such as visual
impairments, hearing impairments and mobility impairments as well as to
students diagnosed with learning disabilities, Attention Deficit
Disorder/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), and psychiatric disorders.
Reasonable accommodation in course work or clinical experiences will
be made for students with special needs on an individualized basis. In
order to receive
accommodations, students must provide ODS with appropriate
documentation of their disability. After reviewing the documentation of
a student’s disability, ODS
staff will determine appropriate academic services and accommodations,
depending on the disability. When students are enrolled in nursing
courses, they have the
responsibility to discuss their special needs with course faculty so
that reasonable accommodations can be made in a timely manner. Nursing
faculty and ODS work
together to determine appropriate accommodations that allow students to
succeed in the program without jeopardizing the essential requirements
of the program.