Standards of Performance

Students in the School of Nursing are expected to adhere to standards of performance and ethics that are the foundation of the nursing profession.  These standards include:

•  IU Southeast Code of Student Rights, Responsibilities, and Conduct
•  American Nurses Association (ANA) Professional Standards;
•  ANA Code of Ethics for Nurses; and
•  IU Southeast School of Nursing Essential Abilities (see immediately below).

Essential Abilities

Students accepted into the IU Southeast School of Nursing program will need the cognitive ability, emotional stability, and physical endurance to complete the program and practice professional nursing. When determining professional suitability for the practice of nursing, the student must be able to do the following: exercise safe judgements based on assessment data, remain visibly calm in emergency situations, interact in a caring manner with others, follow directions, be flexible, and demonstrate honesty, integrity, commitment, cooperation, respect, and accountability. The student must not pose a significant risk to the health and safety of self or others. Qualified applicants are expected to meet all admission criteria and matriculating students are expected to meet all progression criteria, as well as the following essential abilities: 

1. Essential judgement skills to include: ability to identify, assess, and comprehend conditions surrounding patient situations for the purpose of problem solving around patient conditions and coming to appropriate conclusions and/or course of actions.
2. Essential physical/neurological functions to include: ability to use the senses of seeing, hearing, touch, and smell to make correct judgements regarding patient conditions and meet physical expectations to perform required interventions for the purpose of demonstrating competence to safely engage in teh 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, and all members of the health care team. Skills include verbal, written, and nonverbal abilities as well as information technology skills consistent with effective communication.
4. Essential emotional coping skills: ability to demonstrate the mental health necessary to safely engage in the practice of nursing as determined by professional standards of practice.
5. Essential intellectual/conceptual skills to include: ability to measure, calculate, analyze, synthesize, and evaluate to engage competently in the safe practice of nursing.
6. Other essential behavioral attributes: ability to engage in activities consistent with safe nursing practice without demonstrated behaviors of addiction to, abuse of, or dependence on alcohol or other drugs that may impair behavior or judgement. The student must demonstrate responsibility and accountability for actions as a student in the School of Nursing and as a developing professional nurse consistent with accepted standards of practice (School of Nursing, General Policies, C-5 - Essential Abilities).

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.  Refer to Student Policies for more information.

ANA Standards of Professional Performance

The American Nurses Association has implemented Standards of Professional Performance (2010) that describe a competent level of behavior in the professional role.  Registered nurses are accountable for their professional actions to themselves, their patients, their peers, and ultimately to society.

1. The registered nurse practices ethically.
2. The registered nurse attains knowledge and competency that reflects current nursing practice.
3. The registered nurse integrates evidence and research findings into practice.
4. The registered nurse contributes to quality nursing practice.
5. The registered nurse communicates effectively in all areas of practice.
6. The registered nurse demonstrates leadership in the professional practice settings and the profession.
7. The registered nurse collaborates with healthcare consumer, family and others in the conduct of nursing practice.
8. The registered nurse evaluates her or his own nursing practice in relation to professional practice standards and guidelines, relevant statutes, rules, and regulations.
9. The registered nurse utilizes appropriate resources to plan and provide nursing services that are safe, effective, and financially responsible.
10. The registered nurse practices in an environmentally safe and healthy manner.

ANA Code of Ethics for Nurses

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.  The Code of Ethics for Nurses was adopted by the American Nurses Association in 1950 and revised in 1960, 1968, 1976, 1985, and 2001 (Reissued in 2010).

1. The nurse practices with compassion and respect for the inherent dignity, worth and unique attributes of every person.
2. The nurse's primary commitment is to the patient, whether an individual, family, group, community or population.
3. The nurse promotes, advocates for, and protects the rights, health, and safety of the patient.
4. The nurse has authority, accountability, and responsibility for nursing practice; makes decisions; and takes action consistent with the obligation to promote health and to provide optimal care.
5. The nurse owes the same duties to self as to others, including the responsibility to promote health and safety, preserve wholeness of character and integrity, maintain competence, and continue personal and professional growth.
6. The nurse, through individual and collective effort, establishes, maintains, and improves the ethical environments of the work setting and conditions of employment that are conducive to safe, quality health care.
7. The nurse, in all roles and settings, advances the profession through research and scholarly inquiry, professional standards development, and the generation of both nursing and health policy.
8. The nurse collaborates with other health professionals and the public to protect human rights, promote health diplomacy, and reduce health disparities.
9. The profession of nursing, collectively through its professional organizations, must articulate nursing values, maintain the integrity of the profession, and integrate principles of social justice into nursing and health policy.

Student Nurses Association (SNA)

With membership of approximately 50,000 nursing students nationwide, the National Student Nurses’ Association (SNA) mentors the professional development of future nurses and facilitates their entrance into the profession by providing educational resources, leadership opportunities, and career guidance.

Indiana University Southeast School of Nursing students are encouraged to join the SNA as sophomores to gain experience for leadership positions in the association as juniors and seniors.

Students are also encouraged to become involved in other IU Southeast student groups, activities, programs, and leadership experiences.  For more information, contact the Office of Campus Life.