Gwynedd Mercy University 2026-2027 University Catalog
( BPOA) with the goal to protect, preserve and improve the health and safety of Pennsylvania’ s citizens. Safeguarding public health and safety requires a variety of factors to be considered and weighed when deciding whether or not to issue someone a license. For example,
convictions for certain criminal activity − by the very nature of the underlying crimes − can raise serious public safety concerns and therefore must be considered. If you have a criminal conviction on your record, please see Act 53 of 2020 Best Practices Guide( https:// www. pa. gov / en / agencies / dos / resources / professionallicensing-resources / act-53-of-2020-best-practices-guide. html) on the Commonwealth of PA website. Continued matriculation in nursing courses is conditional pending receipt and evaluation of a PA Criminal Record Check to determine if there is any conviction which may bar the student from participating in nursing clinical experiences, which are required in the nursing program. Graduates from the Frances M. Maguire College of Nursing and Health Professions must possess the essential knowledge, attitudes, and skills to function in a wide variety of clinical situations and render a wide spectrum of patient care in a safe and effective manner.
The goal of the Frances M. Maguire College of Nursing and Health Professions is to prepare every Distinctive Mercy Nursing student to think ethically and critically and practice nursing competently and compassionately in rapidly-changing practice environments. All efforts are designed to facilitate knowledge, enhance nursing practice and patient safety, foster professional integrity, and ultimately improve the health outcomes of patients, families, and communities across the continuum of care. Certain functional abilities are essential for delivering safe, effective, quality nursing care during clinical education activities. Therefore, certain competency standards are required for admission, progression, and graduation from the BSN program. In addition to classroom learning, clinical learning occurs throughout the program and involves considerations, such as patient safety and clinical facilities. For this reason, any applicant or individual who seeks accommodations prior to or immediately after enrolling in the nursing programs must collaborate with accessibility services and BSN leadership to determine reasonable accommodations for the clinical education component of the program.
Competency Standards for Nursing The individual must be able to independently, with or without reasonable accommodation, meet the following technical standards of general abilities and those specifically of( 1) observation;( 2) communication;( 3) motor;( 4) cognitive, conceptual, and quantitative abilities;( 5) essential behavioral and social attributes; and( 6) ability to manage stressful situations. Individuals unable to meet these technical standards, with or without reasonable accommodation, will not be able to complete the program and are counseled to pursue alternate careers.
General Abilities: The individual is expected to possess functional use of the senses of vision, touch, hearing, and smell so that data received by the senses may be integrated, analyzed, and synthesized in a consistent and accurate manner. The individual must also possess the ability to perceive pain, pressure, temperature, position, vibration, and movement that are important to the student’ s ability to gather significant information needed to effectively evaluate patients. The individual must be able to respond promptly to urgent situations that may occur during clinical education activities and must not hinder the ability of other members of the health care team to provide prompt treatment and care to patients.
Observation Ability: The individual must have sufficient capacity to make accurate visual observations and interpret them in the context of laboratory studies, medication administration, and patient care
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