Gwynedd Mercy University
AY2020-2021 / Undergraduate Academic Catalog
NON-ACADEMIC CRITERIA FOR ADMISSION , PROGRESSION AND RETENTION The Professional Nursing Law permits the State Board of Nursing to consider the “ moral character of any license candidate .” The applicant who is applying to the nursing program should be aware that the State Board of Nursing will not issue a license or certificate to an applicant who has been convicted of any felonious act . 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 the nursing program .
Graduates from the Frances M . Maguire School 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 School of Nursing and Health Professions is to prepare every Distinctive Mercy Nursing student to think ethically , 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 . In addition , certain functional abilities are essential for the delivery of safe , effective , quality nursing care during clinical education activities . Therefore , the faculty has determined that certain technical standards are requisite for admission , progression , and graduation from the nursing programs . In addition to classroom learning , clinical learning occurs throughout the program and involves considerations ( such as patient safety and clinical facilities ) that are not present for classroom accommodations . For this reason , any applicant or individual who seeks accommodations prior to or immediately after enrolling in the nursing programs must also request an assessment of the types of reasonable accommodations needed for the clinical education component of the program . 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
108