Essential Functional Abilities of the Undergraduate Nursing Student
This document describes the variety of activities Student Nurses must be able to engage in to provide safe nursing care.
Clinical Hours: Varies with clinical placement and may include 12-hour blocks of time. May include weekends, days and evenings.
General Clinical Description:
Responsibilities of a nursing student include client assessment and evaluation; planning patient care and performing nursing care; reviewing the client chart, developing individual nursing plans; implementing physician orders, assessing the physical-psychosocial-cognitive-spiritual aspects of the client and family; and ability to utilize written, verbal, and computerized communication with faculty, peers, and other healthcare professionals. Students must be able and willing to accept professional supervision from faculty and other supervisors and effectively integrate feedback they receive into practice. Delivery of client care includes:
- Assisting clients with meals
- Moving, positioning clients in bed
- Walking clients with and without mechanical devices
- Lifting, transferring and transporting clients using wheelchairs and stretchers
- Administering medications
- Providing direct client care such as catheterization, suctioning, bathing, toileting, dressing changes, etc.
- Client-family education
- Responding to emergencies
- Supervising staff as nursing assistants in community-based and clinical settings
During Clinical the Student Must:
Stoop/bend |
Stand, lift and walk during most of the entire clinical experience. |
Squat |
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Kneel |
Physical agility is required while working around tables and chairs in client's room, as well as occasional stooping and/or bending to retrieve supplies from lower storage areas. |
Climb |
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Push/Pull |
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Grasp/Handle |
Pushing and pulling of various medical equipment, medications, and items are required for client care. |
Reach over Shoulders |
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Reach at Waist |
There is a need to lift clients with and without mechanical devices. |
Reach Below Waist |
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Lift |
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Hear |
Use of special senses are required to assess the client and any changes in conditions. |
See |
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Touch |
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Smell |
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Machines, Tools or Moving Equipment:
The nursing student uses a variety of supplies and equipment such as computers, stethoscopes, blood pressure cuffs, IV poles, tubing and pumps, portable monitoring units, clamps and scissors, needles and syringes, client support bars, hospital beds, wheelchairs, stretchers, bed scales and traction.
