The following guidelines have been developed to specify the essential functions students must demonstrate in order to fulfill the requirements of the nursing curricula. Functions listed are required for the learning and practice of critical thinking, communication, and technical skills taught in the curricula. These functions may be required in clinical, classroom, and laboratory environments.

Expected Abilities

Critical Thinking 

The student will be able to:

• thoroughly, efficiently, and reliably:
  • recall, interpret, synthesize, evaluate and then apply information from written, verbal and illustrated materials.
  • implement the nursing process through recall, application of measurement, interpretation, calculation, reassessment, analysis, judgment and synthesis.
• identify and communicate the limits of their knowledge to others when appropriate.
• incorporate new information from clients, peers, teachers and relevant literature.

CommunicationCommunication

The student will be able to:

Behavioral and Social

• communicate in English effectively and sensitively with faculty, staff, allied health personnel, peers and clients,
• be aware of and appropriately react to one's own immediate emotional response.
• accept appropriate feedback and if, necessary, respond by modification of behavior.
• develop professional relationships, providing comfort and reassurance when appropriate, while protecting confidentiality.
• possess ability to function effectively under stress. 

Receptive and Expressive Abilities

• recognize and interpret verbal and non-verbal cues.
• complete reading assignments and search and evaluate the literature.
• complete written records.
• demonstrate the use of therapeutic communication, such as attending, clarifying, coaching, facilitating and touching.

Technical-AbilitiesTechnical Abilities  

The student will be able to: 

• observe demonstrations and participate in laboratory  experiences.
• obtain appropriate health history directly from the client.
• observe a client at a distance and close at hand, noting non-verbal as well as verbal signs.
• detect and identify subtle changes in colors of fluid, skin and dipstick tests.
• use instruments such as stethoscopes, otoscopes, sphygmomanometers, microscopes and syringes.

• have sufficient sensory and motor function to perform a physical examination.
• provide general care and emergency treatment to clients including, but not limited to, CPR.
• respond promptly to urgencies related to client care and not hinder the ability of co-workers to provide prompt care.
• manipulate dials, knobs, electrodes, syringes, intravenous therapy materials, and other small or larger pieces of equipment with dexterity.
• demonstrate sufficient manual dexterity and visual acuity to perform nursing functions including, but not limited to, the safe administration of medications and fluids via variety of routes.
• demonstrate abilities to safely move a client or assist a client in ambulation, transportation, positioning and transferring.
• have the capacity to work effectively in the student clinical role for 8-10 hours in a variety of settings (hospitals, clinics, homes, etc.).

The University of Massachusetts Lowell, Solomont School of Nursing will consider for admission to its programs any applicant who demonstrates the ability to perform or learn to perform the functions listed in this document with or without reasonable accommodations or academic adjustments consistent with ADA. Applicants with disabilities are not required to disclose the existence or nature of their disability during the admissions process; however, any applicant with questions about these technical requirements is strongly encouraged to discuss the issue with a departmental representative. If appropriate, and upon the request of the applicant/student, academic adjustments and/or reasonable accommodations may be provided.