There are requisite essential
functions in five specific domains-- communication, observation, cognitive, motor, and behavioral and social attributes--for the practice of nursing at the baccalaureate and graduate
levels that must be achievable by applicants and students. The School of
Nursing is required to provide reasonable accommodations to students who are
qualified individuals with disabilities and who can, with or without reasonable
accommodations, perform the essential functions required of nursing students in
order to successfully progress through and graduate from their respective
curricula.
If the inability to meet the
essential functions is related to a disability, the university provides
extensive and supportive resources. Rutgers is committed to providing equal
educational access for individuals with disabilities in accordance with Section
504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the Americans with Disabilities Act
Amendments (ADAA) of 2008. The university will make reasonable modifications to
its policies, practices, and procedures unless doing so would fundamentally
alter the nature of the service, program, or activity, or pose an undue
hardship.
Student Essential Functions:
1. knowledge, skills, and attitudes
to function in diverse clinical settings and perform within their scope of
practice
2. functional use of sensory and
motor functions to permit them to carry out the activities in the areas listed
below
3. ability to consistently,
quickly, and accurately integrate all information received by whatever sense(s)
employed and the intellectual ability to learn, integrate, analyze, and
synthesize data
4. capability to perform in a
reasonably independent manner. Clinical decision making and exercising clinical
judgment are essential functions of the role of the student and candidate.
The candidate for the
baccalaureate or graduate degree must have abilities and skills in the
following five distinct areas:
1. Observation: Candidates and
students ordinarily must have sufficient vision to be able to observe
demonstrations and laboratory exercises in the basic sciences and nursing
clinical areas. They must be able to observe a patient accurately at a distance
and at close range.
2. Communication: Candidates and
students ordinarily must be able to communicate with patients and colleagues.
They should be able to hear but technological compensation is available and may
be permitted for some disabilities in this area. Candidates and students must
be able to read.
3. Motor: Candidates and students
ordinarily should have sufficient motor function such that they are able to
execute movements reasonably required to provide general care and emergency
treatment to patients. Examples of emergency treatment are
cardiopulmonary resuscitation, the application of pressure to
stop bleeding, and opening of an obstructed airway.
4. Intellectual,
Conceptual, Integrative, and Quantitative: These abilities include measurement,
calculation, reasoning, analysis, and synthesis. Problem solving and critical
thinking are necessary. In addition, candidates and students should be able to
comprehend three-dimensional relationships and to understand the spatial
relationships of structures.
5. Behavioral and
Social: Candidates and students must possess the emotional health required for
full utilization of intellectual abilities, the exercise of good judgment, and
evidence mature and sensitive relationships with patients. Candidates and students
must be able to tolerate physically demanding workloads, adapt to changing
environments, and display flexibility to function in rapidly changing clinical
settings.
The practice
of nursing at the baccalaureate and graduate levels must not pose a direct
threat to health and safety of the patients that it serves. School of Nursing
students must act to protect the welfare of patients. On this basis, certain
applicants may be disqualified, including some who are disabled.
The School of Nursing will, if
requested, provide reasonable accommodations to otherwise qualified enrolled
students and candidates unless: (a) such accommodations impose undue hardship
to the institution; or (b) direct threats of substantial harm to health and
safety of others due to the disability cannot be eliminated by any reasonable
accommodations available that would allow the student to perform the essential
functions; or (c) such accommodations fundamentally alter the educational
program or academic standards.
Students requesting
accommodation(s) should make their needs known to the Office of Disability Services or
to the coordinator of disability services at the School of Nursing's Office of
Student Services as soon as possible after joining the school and before
enrolling in classes where accommodations will be needed. This enables the school to plan appropriately. Documentation of disability is required as is a
completed
Letter
of Accommodations Request Form or the
Office of Disability Services Registration Form.
A student whose behavior or
performance raises questions concerning his or her ability to fulfill the
essential functions may be referred to the Office of Disability Services to obtain
evaluation and/or testing by a health care provider. Results of the
evaluation/testing may need to be provided to the Office of Student Services as
appropriate, for the purpose of determining whether the student is fit to
pursue the educational program. If the student is deemed fit to pursue the
program, the school reserves the right to require
actions recommended by the health care provider, including further testing,
counseling, monitoring, leave of absence, etc.
If a physical and/or emotional
challenge cannot be appropriately accommodated, or a student who is referred
for treatment does not respond to it within a reasonable period of time for
adequate performance of his or her essential functions, then the student can be
involuntarily withdrawn, placed on an involuntary leave of absence, or dismissed
from the program, pursuant to university policies.
