Essential Functions of Nursing

In order to be accepted into the MCC Nursing Program, students must be able to meet the following essential functions of the occupation for nursing.

  • Communicate effectively with clients, families, health care team members, peer, and faculty.
  • Interact appropriately and communicate effectively with individuals, families, and groups from a variety of social, cultural, and intellectual backgrounds.
  • Communicate and organize thoughts in order to prepare written documents.
  • Prepare written documents that are correct in style, grammar, and mechanics.
  • Stand and walk for six to eight hours/day.
  • Walk for prolonged periods from one area to another over an eight hour period.
  • Bend, squat, and kneel.
  • Assist lifting or moving clients of all age groups and weights.
  • Perform CPR, i.e., move above client to compress chest and manually ventilate client.
  • Work with arms fully extended overhead.
  • Use hands for grasping, pushing, pulling, and other fine manipulation.
  • Demonstrate eye/hand coordination for manipulation of equipment, i.e., syringes, procedures, etc.
  • Possess tactile ability to differentiate changes in sensation.
  • Possess tactile ability sufficient for physical examination of a patient.
  • Possess auditory acuity to note slight changes in the client’s condition, i.e., lung sounds, bowel sounds, etc.
  • Possess auditory acuity to hear client’s calls for assistance without facing the client.
  • Possess auditory acuity to interpret various equipment signals and use the telephone.
  • Possess visual acuity to read and distinguish colors, to read handwritten orders, and other handwritten/printed data.
  • Possess visual acuity to clearly view electronic monitors and scales in order to correctly interpret data.
  • Possess olfactory ability sufficient to detect differences in odor.
  • Possess good short term and long term memory.
  • Respond with precise, quick actions in emergency situations.

If you have any questions in regards to these functions, please contact the MCC Nursing Department at (231) 777-0281.