PERFORMANCE/
STANDARD

ESSENTIAL ACTIVITIES/TASKS
(not all inclusive)

CRITICAL THINKING

Critical thinking ability sufficient for clinical decision-making

• Use relevant data to support the decision making process

•  Identify priorities of care based on analysis of data

•  Analyze and use assessment findings to plan and implement care for clients and families

•  Evaluate the plan of care and revise as appropriate

•  Solve problems and make valid,  rational decisions using logic,  creativity and reasoning

•  Remember multiple messages and information

•  Demonstrate arithmetic ability to correctly compute dosages, tell time, and use measuring tools

INTERPERSONAL

SKILLS

Interpersonal skills

sufficient to effectively interact with individuals, families, and groups from a variety of social, emotional, cultural, and intellectual backgrounds.

• Establish rapport (relationship) with clients and colleagues through speech, touch, and hearing

•  Work effectively in small groups as a team member and as a team leader

•  Practice verbal and non-verbal therapeutic communication

•  Recognize crises (times or events that disrupt normal lives) and institute appropriate interventions to help resolve adverse situations

COMMUNICATION

SKILLS

Communication skills

sufficient for effective interaction with others in verbal, non-verbal, and written form.

• Communicate therapeutically with clients, families and groups in a variety of settings

• Communicate pertinent information verbally and in writing to appropriate persons

• Document client data and nursing care completely and accurately using appropriate terminology

• Provide health teaching for clients, families and/or groups based on assessed needs, available resources, age, life style and cultural considerations

• Speak English effectively so as to be understood by general public

MOTOR SKILLS

Gross and fine motor skills sufficient to provide nursing care in a safe, responsible, and cost effective manner

• Calibrate and use equipment

• Maintain sterile technique when performing sterile procedures

• Able to pick up and effectively manipulate small objects such as dials, syringes, switches

• Hold skin taut with one hand while inserting needle in skin or vein with the other hand and perform other procedures requiring the use of two hands

• Maintain immobilization devices such as traction equipment and casts

• Feel for heat or wetness

• Able to use a computer keyboard

• Demonstrate physical dexterity and coordination in delivery of care and treatments

HEARING

Hearing ability sufficient to monitor, assess, and provide safe nursing care.

• Able to hear alarms, emergency signals, cries for help and ringing phones

• Distinguish changes in tone and pitch such as in listening to a patient’s breathing characteristics

• Able to hear and interpret communication in stressful situations such as when more than one person is talking at a time or when they are talking in a loud voice

MOBILITY

Physical abilities sufficient to move from room to room, to maneuver in small spaces, and to negotiate stairwells when necessary

• Move around in patients’ rooms, work spaces and treatment areas

• Perform physical activities necessary to do basic nursing skills such as put on sterile gloves, attach blood pressure cuff on patient’s arm, hold one part of a patient’s body steady while performing an action on another part of the body

• Perform physical activities necessary to do health assessments such as bending over patient, kneeling, lifting an extremity  while tapping with small hammer

• Provide or assist with activities of daily living such as bed bath, oral hygiene, and positioning patients

• Transport and transfer patients from various areas to other areas using such equipment as stretchers, wheelchairs, walkers and commode chairs

• Move to patient’s level in order to view patient directly

• Lift at least 20 lbs. of weight

• Transfer/position up to 300 pounds with assistance while lifting, positioning and transferring patients

• Respond quickly in an emergency

• Gather a minimum of 3-4 pieces of equipment and carry to client’s room

• Direct and assist with ambulation of a patient

• Push/pull equipment requiring force of 10 to 30 pounds on carpeted and uncarpeted floors

• Negotiate stairs

• Stand and walk for up to 75% of a work shift (8-12 hours)

• Stoop, bend, squat and reach overhead

VISION

Visual ability sufficient to monitor, assess, and provide safe nursing care

• Read numbers on dials, thermometers, gauges, measuring cups, syringes, etc.

• Distinguish colors, changes in color, size, continuity of body parts

• Distinguish alterations in normal body activities such as breathing patterns, level of consciousness

• Observe unsafe features in the environment such as water on the floor, obstacles in the path of a patient

• Observe nonverbal responses of patients, families and coworkers

• Visualize written words and information on paper and on a computer screen

• Perform basic nursing skills (such as insertion of a catheter, counting respirations, preparing and giving medications, bathing a patient)

• Read at a minimum of 10^th grade level

TACTILE

Tactile ability sufficient to monitor, assess, and provide safe nursing care.

• Perform all skills requiring use of the hands

• Palpate for pulses, temperature, texture hardness or softness, landmarks, etc.

• Handle and operate equipment

ACCOUNTABILITY AND RESPONSIBILITY

Demonstrate accountability and responsibility in all aspects of nursing practice

 • Distinguish right from wrong and legal from illegal and act accordingly

• Accept responsibility for own actions

• Comprehend ethical standards and agree to abide by them

• Consider the needs of patients in deference to one’s own needs

• Cooperate with other health care professionals and providers in delivery of patient care