Nursing Admission

ELMSN Program Technical Standards

The student must be able to achieve and maintain certain technical standards of knowledge and skill to successfully complete the Program. The technical standards in this document apply to satisfactory performance in all academic and clinical coursework, as well as fulfillment of non-academic essential functions of the curriculum involving physical, cognitive, and behavior factors that are essential to a professional nurse.

More specifically, a student in the Nursing Program must have adequate abilities and skills in the following five areas: 1) Observation; 2) Communication; 3) Sensory and Motor Function; 4) Transportation; 5) Intellectual, Conceptual, Integrative, and Quantitative Abilities; and 5) Behavioral and Social Attributes.

1. Observation: A student must be able to observe a patient accurately at a distance and close at hand to assess patient cues and data (e.g., respiratory effort, gait, posture, appearance). Observation necessitates the functional use of the sense of vision and other sensory modalities. A student must be able to integrate all information visually and through the other senses.

2. Communication: A student must be able to communicate effectively and sensitively in English with patients, family members, and members of the health care team. A student must be able to elicit information from patients, perceive nonverbal communications, and describe changes in mood, activity, and posture. Communication also must demonstrate respect for individuals and populations to embrace diversity, equity, and inclusivity. Communication includes not only speech, but non-verbal communication, writing, reading, interpreting tables, figures, graphs, and computer literacy.

3. Sensory and Motor Function: A student must have the physical stamina sufficient to complete the rigorous course of didactic and clinical study. A student must be able to perform the following functions independently. A student must have sufficient sensory and motor function to elicit information from patients by palpation, auscultation, percussion, and other diagnostic maneuvers. A student will be required to coordinate both gross and fine muscular movements, equilibrium, and functional use of the senses of hearing, touch, and vision. More specifically, a student must be able to exercise such fine motor skills as to adequately perform laboratory tests, procedural skills, perform required general nursing care and emergency treatments. A student must exercise such level of dexterity, sensation, and visual acuity as to accurately complete such processes as administering intravenous medication, making fine measurements of angles and size, measuring blood pressure, respiration, and pulse, performing physical examinations, and performing therapeutic procedures and standardized procedures. A student must be able to hear sufficiently to accurately differentiate percussive notes and auscultatory findings, including but not limited to, heart, lung, and abdominal sounds, as well as discern normal and abnormal findings using instruments such as stethoscopes, sphygmomanometers, and physiological monitoring devices. A student must be able to meet all physical requirements of clinical rotations and patient care. Clinical rotations may include any shift (days, evenings, and nights) and the length of the shift may vary between 8-12 hours. Physical requirements include but are not limited to the ability to safely assist with patient transfers for those who may require physical assistance, such as moving in and out of beds or chairs, when necessary, demonstrate strength to position, lift, move, and transfer patients; transport themselves in a manner which provides timely response in both general and emergency care situations, stand for extended periods of time, and move in tight quarters and demonstrate proper body mechanics. Additionally, a student must be able to demonstrate the ability to freely walk, stand, sit, squat, balance, climb, reach, grip, lift, pull, and push as needed in the performance of clinical duties. Engaging in some procedures, such as CPR, will require a necessary level of physical strength.

4. Transportation: Because students are required to travel independently to various clinical sites, sometimes located 50 or more miles from campus, the ability to safely operate a motor vehicle is an essential component of meeting the sensory and motor function standards. Clinical placements may be scheduled at a variety of locations and may require travel during early mornings, late evenings, or overnight shifts, depending on the program's and the clinical site's needs. Reliable transportation is necessary to ensure timely arrival and full participation in all clinical activities, including emergency or last-minute schedule changes. For these reasons, students must possess and maintain a valid driver’s license throughout the program. This requirement ensures that students can independently and consistently fulfill their clinical obligations, regardless of distance or time of day, and are not limited by transportation barriers. Failure to maintain a valid driver’s license may result in ineligibility for clinical placements and could impact progression or completion of the program.

5. Intellectual, Integrative and Quantitative Abilities: A student must have the intellect necessary to quickly analyze situational and clinical problems to formulate appropriate judgements and interventions. These intellectual abilities include numerical recognition, measurement, calculations, reasoning, analysis judgment and synthesis. The student must be able to identify significant findings from the patient's history, the physical examination and laboratory data, provide a reasoned explanation for likely diagnoses, and choose appropriate medications, nursing interventions, and therapy. The ability to incorporate new information from many sources in formulating diagnoses and plans is essential. Diagnostic reasoning and clinical judgment in patient assessment, diagnostic and therapeutic planning is primary. When appropriate, students must be able to identify and communicate the limits of their knowledge to others.

6. Behavioral and Social Attributes: A student must possess the emotional health required for full use of his or her intellectual abilities, exercise good judgment, and the prompt ability to care for patients and aggregates. The development of mature, sensitive effective and professional relationships with patients and members of the health care team is essential. They must be able to adapt to changing environments, to display flexibility and learn to function in the face of uncertainties inherent in the clinical problems of many patients. Compassion,integrity, inclusivity, interpersonal skills, interest, and motivation are all personal qualities that are desired in a health professional and assessed during admissions and throughout the education program.

7. Ethical Standards: A student must demonstrate the ability to reason morally and practice nursing in a professional ethical manner. This includes all practice and academic settings when working with patients, families, aggregates, community populations, faculty, peers, and all members of the healthcare team. Ethical standards further guide nursing practice to provide equitable care, embrace inclusivity, and value diversity of our clients. Professional nursing practice is held to a high standard as outlined by the American Nurses Association Code of Ethics with interpretive statements (ANA, 2015).

Pacific will provide reasonable accommodations to students with disabilities otherwise qualified to complete the essential functions of the curriculum. However, such essential functions must be completed by the student in a reasonably independent fashion. The safety and welfare of a patient shall not be put in jeopardy because of an effort to reasonably accommodate a disability.

Human Anatomy & Lab

Anatomy and Physiology

Included are a general survey of human histology and the study of structure and function of organ systems of the human body, including the integumentary, skeletal, muscular, endocrine and nervous systems. Structure and function of sensory organs are also included in the course. Correlated by laboratory experience and demonstration. Lecture (3 units) and required laboratory (1 unit).

Human Physiology & Lab

Human Physiology with Lab

Included is the study of structure and function of the circulatory (blood, heart, blood vessels and circulation), lymphatic, immune, respiratory, urinary and reproductive systems. Lecture (3 units) and required laboratory (1 unit). 

Human Microbiology & Lab

Human Microbiology with Lab

A study of microorganisms with special emphasis on bacteria and viruses in the human environment. Lecture (3 units) and required laboratory (1unit)

Written Composition

Continued practice in writing with emphasis on critical thinking, argument, analysis and interpretation of multicultural readings and other interdisciplinary expository materials. 

Interpersonal Communications OR Oral Communications

Interpersonal Communications

This class examines the dynamics of the two-person communication process. Students will study the development of self-concept, self- disclosure, perception, listening, and feedback as they affect the communication process. Non-verbal communication, attitudes, beliefs, and values will also be explored.

Oral Communications

This course is designed to introduce the process of public communication and to help develop and refine the skills of oral communication.

Nutrition

Fundamentals of Human Nutrition

Principles of nutrition with application to physiological needs of individuals; food sources and selections of an adequate diet, formulation of the Recommended Daily Allowances; nutritional assessment, and surveillance. 

Statistics or Epidemiology*

Introduction to Statistics

Mathematical theory and applications, development of formulae, principles of statistical decision theory, descriptive measurements, probability concepts, random variables, normal distribution, inferential statistics, sampling distributions, confidence intervals, hypothesis testing, chi-squared procedures, linear regression, and the use of computers in statistics.

Epidemiology

Introduction to Epidemiology (4) Epidemiologic methods for non-epidemiology majors. Focuses on research designs and methods to describe disease occurrence and risk factor associations; uses quantitative and biomedical information to infer whether causal relationships exist between potential causes and disease in populations.

*Admission committee may request course description.

Sociology or Social Science

Sociology or Social Science

A general introduction to the scientific study of human behavior in social settings. It includes major theories of human behavior in terms of culture, socialization, primary groups, stratification and social class, population, family, religion, and social change.

Psychology

General, Lifespan or Developmental Psychology

Principles of psychological development from birth through senescence. Lifespan or Developmental Psychology are preferred, General Psychology is accepted.