Attributes needed to succeed in TCC's Nursing Program and in the field of Nursing.
The nursing profession is a highly respected field. The reasons for this are many,
but largely because patients put their lives in our hands. Nurses must be worthy of
that trust. The nursing program has the responsibility to assure the public that its
students and graduates are competent in all areas of practice.
"Each individual, upon entering the practice of nursing, assumes a measure of responsibility
and public trust and the corresponding obligation to adhere to the standards of nursing
practice. The nurse shall be responsible and accountable for the quality of nursing
care given to clients. This responsibility cannot be avoided by accepting the orders
or directions of another person."
WAC 246-840-700, state law relating to nursing care. Nursing students and graduates are held to this
law.
What Nurses Need to Know
The TCC Nursing Program curriculum is intended to lead to a student’s eligibility
for licensure as a registered nurse. The curriculum requires students to engage in
diverse, complex, and specific experiences essential to the acquisition and practice
of essential nursing skills and functions. These abilities are essential as they constitute
core components of nursing practice. There is a high probability that negative consequences
will result for patients/clients under the care of nurses who fail to demonstrate
these abilities. A program preparing students for the practice of nursing must attend
to these essential functional abilities in the education and evaluation of its students.
This statement of Technical Standards identifies the functional abilities the TCC
nursing faculty deem to be essential to the practice of nursing. The Technical Standards
are reflected in the Nursing Program Learning Outcomes, which are the basis for teaching
and evaluating all nursing students. The TCC Nursing Program’s Mission and Program Learning Outcomes are available for reference on the TCC Website.
Students with disabilities who have questions about or may require reasonable accommodations
in meeting the Technical Standards of the Nursing Program should contact TCC’s Access Services Office to discuss the process of identifying reasonable accommodations. Students should
seek reasonable accommodation advising as soon as possible so that a plan for reasonable
accommodation can be in place at the beginning of the program. The phone number for
the Access Services Office is 253-460-4437. The e-mail address is access@tacomacc.edu. This e-mail is monitored by Access Services program assistants who are not involved
in the admission process. Information concerning whether a student may have a disability
or may need reasonable accommodations is confidential in accordance with the Family
Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA). Reasonable accommodations are geared toward
providing an equal educational opportunity for students with disabilities while adhering
to the standards of nursing practice for all students.
This Technical Standards document (pdf) identifies the functional abilities the TCC nursing faculty deem to be essential
to the practice of nursing.
Essential Requirements
The nursing faculty has an obligation to socialize students into the profession beginning
with the point of entering the program. Students will be held to the essential requirements
below:
Nursing students must be able to comprehend, communicate, and document information
in the English language, and to communicate accurately and effectively with patients,
significant others and spouses, other family members, healthcare workers, and other
professionals in healthcare settings, as well as with instructors, supervisors, classmates,
and various health or educational team members in both clinical and classroom settings.
This includes the ability to elicit, receive, and accurately interpret information
from others; to collect, document, and convey relevant information to others; to understand
and use healthcare terminology; and to comprehend and follow directions and instructions.
In addition, nursing students must be able to accurately record patient medical information,
write and manage patients’ plans of care, maintain reports, present information in
a professional and logical manner, and appropriately provide patient education and
instructions to effectively care for patients or clients and their families.
Nursing students must have the capacity to develop and refine critical thinking, decision
making and problem-solving skills that are crucial for safe and effective nursing
practice. These processes involve capabilities to measure, quantify, calculate, question,
analyze, conceptualize, reason, integrate, and synthesize information in order to
make timely decisions reflecting sound clinical judgment, and to determine appropriate
clinical decision making. Student nurses must additionally be able to find and use
evidence-based research; to learn from other individuals; to comprehend, integrate,
and apply new information; to make sound clinical decisions; and to communicate outcomes
verbally and in writing. Student nurses must be able to make measurements, calculate,
and reason; and to analyze, integrate, and synthesize data rapidly, consistently,
and accurately to problem-solve and ultimately make logical diagnostic and therapeutic
judgments.
Nursing students must be able to collect, use, and interpret information from physical
assessments (includes, but is not limited to the following: detect changes in skin
color or condition, discriminate between abnormal and normal color of body fluids
or exudates, detect a fire in a patient care area, draw up the correct quantity of
medication into a syringe, read fine print such as medication and equipment labeling),
observed demonstrations, diagnostic and assessment tools (such as, but not limited
to, sphygmomanometer, stethoscope, bladder scanner, telemetry/ECG, and reflex hammer)
and from all other modes of patient assessment in the context of laboratory studies,
medication administration, radiologic studies, and other patient care activities.
Nursing students must also be able to detect, interpret, and communicate sounds related
to bodily functions and detect audible alarms with the frequency and volume ranges
of the sounds generated by mechanical systems that monitor bodily functions. Nursing
students must be able to detect foul odors of bodily fluids or spoiled foods, detect
smoke from burning materials, detect changes in skin temperature, detect unsafe temperature
levels in heat producing devices used in patient care, detect anatomical abnormalities
(such as subcutaneous crepitus, edema, masses or infiltrated intravenous fluids),
palpate pulses and percuss/palpate other body areas.
Nursing students must be able to perform physical assessments and diagnostic and therapeutic
maneuvers necessary and required in the curriculum and of a future registered nurse.
Student nurses must be able to perform patient care activities, including, but not
limited to, insertion of urinary catheters; insertion of nasogastric tubes; insertion
of intravenous catheters; hanging of blood products/other intravenous infusions; transferring
of patients in and out of bed; ambulation of patients; turning and positioning of
patients; moving equipment to various heights; accurately reading the volumes in body
fluid collection devices hung above or below bed level; disposing of needles in sharps
containers; accurately placing and maintaining position of stethoscope for detecting
sounds of bodily functions; manipulating small equipment and containers, such as syringes,
needles, vials, ampules, and medication packages. Nursing students must be able to
respond to emergency situations in a timely manner and provide emergency care including
cardio pulmonary resuscitation. Student nurses must possess the physical endurance
necessary for extended periods of activity that are required for safe performance
in clinical and classroom settings. Student nurses must possess the ability to comply
with all safety standards in all clinical settings including, but not limited to,
infectious control precautions (universal, contact, air borne) and use of emergency
equipment (crash cart, fire extinguisher, evacuation chairs). Student nurses must
be capable of moving within and among clinical environments without compromising the
safety of others.
Student nurses must possess the capacity to communicate effectively, respectfully,
and with cultural humility, with all individuals whom they encounter and to demonstrate
behaviors associated with compassion, respect, concern for others, integrity, ethical
comportment, sound clinical judgment, and accountability for their responsibilities
and actions. Student nurses must be able to accept the supervision of an instructor
and/or preceptor, to accept constructive criticism or feedback, and to modify behavior
based on feedback. Student nurses must demonstrate the ability to adapt quickly to
rapidly changing situations/environments, to uncertain circumstances and to withstand
human trauma and its effects. Student nurses must have the capacity to correctly judge
when assistance is required and seek appropriate assistance in a timely manner. Student
nurses must be able to function cooperatively and efficiently with others. Student
nurses must possess the personal qualities of integrity, empathy, concern for the
welfare of others, interest, and motivation. Student nurses must possess the emotional
maturity required for the full use of their intellectual abilities, the exercise of
good judgment; and the prompt completion of all responsibilities associated with the
care of patients. As nursing education involves exposure to a wide variety of situations,
student nurses must be able to demonstrate resilience in both classroom and clinical
settings, and participate in self-help and interventions as appropriate.
Student nurses are expected to exhibit professionalism, personal accountability, compassion,
integrity, concern for others, and care for all individuals in a respectful and effective
manner regardless of gender identity, age, race, sexual orientation, religion, disability,
or any other protected status. Student nurses should understand and function within
the legal and ethical aspects of the professional standards of practice, and maintain
and display ethical and moral behaviors commensurate with the role of a registered
nurse in all interactions with patients, faculty, staff, students and the public.
Individuals whose performance is impaired by abuse of alcohol or other substances
are not suitable student nurses for admission, promotion, or graduation. Student nurses
must:
Be able to meet guidelines established by healthcare organizations where they will
be engaged in clinical experiences, and
Legally be able to be licensed to practice nursing in the State of Washington.
As such, student nurses must detail in writing, to the Nursing Program, at the time
of application, any felony offense or disciplinary action on any previous or current
licenses. If a conviction occurs after matriculation, students are required to inform
the Associate Dean for Nursing of any actions which might impair the ability of the
student nurse to obtain a nursing license or meet guidelines established by healthcare
organizations where they will be engaged in clinicals and practicums. Failure to notify
the Nursing Program may result in removal from the program.
Clinical Expectations
Students must meet all minimum requirements of all nursing program clinical affiliate
agencies, which may include:
background checks
documentation of immunizations or proof of immunity
drug screening
Onboarding healthcare partner training
A general nursing job description was developed to assist in outlining these basic requirements. It is the responsibility
of the student to determine what, if any, accommodations would need to be made for
the student to perform the job successfully.
