Technical Standards for Admission and Progression

By accepting admission and enrolling in the Elaine Marieb College of Nursing (EMCON), students acknowledge that they have read this policy and certify that they understand the technical standards for admission and progression in the program.

In addition to classroom learning, nursing education requires a clinical/practicum component that involves caring for patients. This policy reviews EMCON expectations for the student’s participation in and adherence to required technical standards in the classroom, simulation, and throughout clinical settings.

The Elaine Marieb College of Nursing values diversity and is committed to fostering an inclusive environment for all students, including those with disabilities. This commitment ensures access to nursing education and clinical practice while maintaining the safety and integrity of patient care. EMCON does not discriminate on the basis of disability. If reasonable accommodations will allow a qualified student with a disability to meet these technical standards, accommodations will be provided. Students may request accommodation through UMass Disability Services, which will provide specific guidance to students on required documentation and to faculty and staff on recommended accommodations.

Some students may acquire disabilities during their course of study. In such cases, students should again work with Disability Services to develop reasonable accommodation. The student, Disability Services, and EMCON program leadership will collaborate to organize reasonable accommodation. Sometimes it is not possible for students to meet technical standards with reasonable accommodations; in this event, the student will be dismissed from the program. 

Essential eligibility requirements for participation in the nursing program include the following technical standards:

Observation/Communication

  • Auditory, visual, olfactory, and tactile ability - or functional equivalent - sufficient to detect and interpret changes in patient condition, environmental hazards, and safety concerns in diverse clinical settings
  • Capacity to accurately obtain and use data for oral and written communications, and use visual images, sounds, and verbal and non-verbal communication to inform patient care
  • Ability to record information accurately, timely, and clearly in oral and written form and communicate effectively and sensitively with patients, their families, and colleagues in the healthcare system

Physical/Motor

  • Physical and motor abilities sufficient to safely and effectively perform patient care and handling, ergonomic practices, and diagnostic and therapeutic interventions, including in emergencies
  • Gross and fine motor abilities sufficient to provide therapeutic nursing interventions that are safe and effective and that maintain safety and security standards
  • Motor ability sufficient to meet the requirements specific to the specialty scope of practice, with or without adaptive equipment

Intellectual— Conceptual, Integrative, and Quantitative

  • Critical thinking sufficient for clinical and academic judgment
  • Sophisticated problem-solving skills, including calculation, reasoning, analysis, and synthesis; ability to learn through a variety of modalities, including classroom, simulation, and clinical settings, individual and team-based learning, preparation of oral and written reports, and use of technology to support academic work
  • Ability to integrate and assimilate complex information from multiple sources in varying amounts, and multiple educational experiences in a timely fashion in order to formulate accurate patient assessments and management plans
  • Ability to comprehend spatial relationships and three-dimensional relationships of structures

Interpersonal

The development of mature, sensitive, and effective relationships with patients and other members of the health care team are essential. The ability to function in the face of uncertainties inherent in clinical practice, adaptability to change environments, flexibility, compassion, integrity, motivation, interpersonal skills, and concern for others are all required. 

  • Interpersonal ability to interact appropriately, sensitively, and compassionately with individuals, families, and groups from diverse backgrounds irrespective of the patient’s race, ethnicity, social, emotional, cultural, religious/political preference, gender or sexual orientation, ability to pay and intellectual backgrounds
  • Ability to adhere to the Elaine Marieb College of Nursing Student Code of Conduct in academic and clinical settings
  • Ability to demonstrate appropriate judgment in decision-making, in order to maintain safety and security of patients and to behave appropriately with patients, staff, students, and supervisors
  • Ability to function and adapt effectively under physically demanding workload, long hours, and in times of physical and mental stress; display flexibility and openness for changing environments and integrate constructive feedback given in the classroom and clinical settings
  • Ability to nurture respectful, mature, healthy client-provider and collegial relationships
  • Ability to uphold standards as outlined in the EMCON student handbooks (undergraduate and graduate).