Nursing Education Program Student Essential Function Requirements

Virginia Peninsula Community College Nursing Education Program Student Essential Function Requirements

All individuals who apply for, and are students in one of the College's Nursing Education Programs, including persons with disabilities, must be able to perform essential functions included in this document either with or without accommodations. These essential functions are congruent with the Virginia State Board of Nurse Examiners expectations of any individual seeking initial licensure as a registered nurse.

Students who do, or believe that they may need accommodation(s) to successfully meet the minimum essential functions outlined below are encouraged to refer to the Americans with Disabilities (ADA) section of this handbook, as well as to establish contact with the College's Office of Accessibility (formerly Disability Support Services). Students are also encouraged to refer to, and review the information in the College's Student Handbook for additional information.

It is the student's responsibility to provide their College issued accommodation(s) documentation to each of the faculty from whom they may receive instruction, assistance and/or are assessed or evaluated by prior to the instruction, assistance and/or assessment including, but not limited to all course/program activities (i.e. lecture, lab, simulation, and/or clinical. IAP's are not retroactive and will be effective from the time presented to, reviewed and signed by the faculty member. Students must meet the essential functional abilities with or without accommodation to be admitted to or continue their studies in one or more (their respective) of the College's Nursing Education Program(s).

Students are advised that it may become necessary for the Nursing Education Program faculty and/or leadership, Instructional Unit leadership (Division), and/or a representative of the College to collaborate with, and/or share accommodation information with one or more clinical sites to ensure that the required clinical time and skills can be completed at their facility. When it is necessary to share this information with program clinical partners, only the accommodation requirements will be shared, the program will NOT share any personally identifiable information with the program clinical partner when making these requests and/or clarifying clinical placement. As referred to later in this document, and other Nursing Education Program policies and procedures, the program may be required to release program participant (student and/or faculty) personally identifiable information, medical and/or immunization history, and/or academic information in accordance with program agreements, policies, procedures and/or program standards.

Essential functions are the basic skills (activities) that a student must be able to perform. Any student applicant who has met the necessary prerequisites and who can perform the essential functions of their respective Nursing Education Program, either with or without reasonable accommodations, will be considered for admission. A candidate must be able to perform the identified essential functions in a reasonably independent manner. The use of trained intermediaries is not permissible, in that the candidate's judgment would be mediated by someone else's power of observation and selection.

The "essential functions" are the basic cognitive, psychomotor, and affective activities that are essential to successful completion of the nursing education curriculum leading to initial certification and/or licensure as a nurse aide, practical (licensed practical) and/or professional (registered) nurse. Essential functions are categorized into the following functional areas: essential physical/neurological functions, essential motor skills, essential judgement skills, essential communications skills, essential intellectual and cognitive skills, and essential emotion coping skills. The essential functional skills required in each category have been identified as essential for a nurse aide, practical and/or professional nurse, and/or those entering an allied health profession that requires the provision of direct and/or indirect patient care, and they form the basis for the College's Nursing Education Program essential functions.

The College will review and consider reasonable and appropriate accommodation for students with a documented disability to participate fully in the student's respective educational program of study. The following standards and functional abilities are necessary for participation in the nursing program. The College, nor any of its educational programs and/or courses will be
fundamentally altered to accommodate students.

Essential Functional Requirements