IUPUI Campus Bulletin 2014-2016

IUPUI 2014-2016 » Schools » nursing » Policies & Procedures » Professional/Technical Standards

 

Professional/Technical Standards

Students of the School of Nursing will be held to the standards describes by the 2010 American Nurses’ Association (ANA) Nursing: Scope and Standards of Practice, the ANA 2010 Code of Ethics. and the School of Nursing’s Essential Abilities. Failure to uphold these standards may result in dismissal from any nursing program.

ANA Standards of Practice & Standards of Professional Performance

"The Standards of Practice describe a competent level of nursing care as demonstrated by the critical thinking model known as the nursing process.  The nursing process includes the components of assessment, diagnosis, outcomes identification, planning, implementation, and evaluation.  Accordingly, the nursing process encompasses significant actions taken by registered nurses and forms the foundation of the nurse's decision making (Nursing: Scope and Standards of Practice, 2010)." 

"The Standards of Professional Performance describe a competent level of behavior in the professional role, including activities related to ethics, education, evidence-based practice and research, quality of practice, communication, leadership, collaboration, professional practice evaluation, resource utilization, and environmental health.  All registered nurses are expected to engage in professional role activities, including leadership, appropriate to their education and position. registered nurses are accountable for their professional actions to themselves, their healthcare consumers, their peers, and ultimately to society (Nursing: Scope and Standards of Practice, 2010)."

Detailed information including descriptions of each standard and relevant sub-standards can be found at the American Nurses Association (ANA).

American Nurse Association Code of Ethics

Each person, upon entering the nursing profession, inherits a measure of the responsibility and trust associated with the profession, along with the corresponding obligation to adhere to the standards of ethical practice and conduct it has set. Nursing students are expected to show responsibility in their behavior; to deal with faculty, peers, patients, and clinical staff in a direct and honest manner; and to be professional in their conduct. Students who violate accepted standards for professional nursing may be discharged from the program.

1. The nurse, in all professional relationships, practices with compassion and respect for the inherent dignity, worth, and uniqueness of every individual, unrestricted by considerations of social or economic status, personal attributes, or the nature of health problems.
2. The nurse’s primary commitment is to the patient, whether an individual, family, group, or community.
3. The nurse promotes, advocates for, and strives to protect the health, safety, and rights of the patient.
4. The nurse is responsible and accountable for individual nursing practice and determines the appropriate delegation of tasks consistent with the nurse’s obligation to provide optimum patient care.
5. The nurse owes the same duties to self as to others, including the responsibility to preserve integrity and safety, to maintain competence, and to continue personal and professional growth.
6. The nurse participates in establishing, maintaining, and improving healthcare environments and conditions of employment conducive to the provision of quality health care and consistent with the values of the profession through individual and collective action.
7. The nurse participates in the advancement of the profession through contributions to practice, education, administration, and knowledge development.
8. The nurse collaborates with other health professionals and the public in promoting community, national, and international efforts to meet health needs.
9. The profession of nursing, as represented by associations and their members, is responsible for articulating nursing values, for maintaining the integrity of the profession and its practice, and for shaping social policy.

Essential Abilities

The School of Nursing faculty have specified essential abilities (technical standards) critical to the success of students enrolled in any IU nursing program. Qualified applicants and matriculating students are expected to meet all progression criteria, as well as these essential abilities with or without reasonable accommodations.

1. Essential judgment skills to include: ability to identify, assess, and comprehend conditions surrounding patient situations for the purpose of problem solving patient conditions and coming to appropriate conclusions and/or prioritized course of actions.
2. Essential physical/neurological functions to include: ability to use the senses of sight, hearing, touch, and smell to make correct judgments regarding patient conditions and meet physical expectations to safely and competently perform interventions required in the practice of nursing. Behaviors that demonstrate essential neurological and physical functions include, but are not limited to observation, listening, understanding relationships, writing, and psychomotor abilities consistent with course and program expectations.
3. Essential communication skills to include: ability to communicate effectively with fellow students, faculty, patients, families, and all members of the health care team. Verbal, non-verbal, electronic, and written skills will consistently demonstrate effective, professional communication.
4. Essential emotional coping skills to include: ability to demonstrate the mental health necessary to safely engage in the practice of nursing as determined by professional standards of practice. Anger dyscontrol, lack of self-control, disengagement, lethargy, and labile mood are examples of behaviors indicative of ineffective coping.　
5. Essential intellectual/conceptual skills to include: ability to measure, calculate, analyze, synthesize, and critically evaluate in order to engage competently in the safe practice of nursing.
6. Other essential behavioral attributes: ability to engage in activities consistent with safe nursing practice free from the influence of any substance that may impair behavior or judgment. The student must demonstrate responsibility and accountability for actions as a student in the School of Nursing and as a developing professional nurse.

Students failing to meet these essential abilities, as determined by faculty, at any point in their academic program may have their progress interrupted until they have demonstrated their ability to meet these essential abilities within negotiated time frames. (Policy F_04)

Last updated January 2014