Criteria for Meeting and Completing Core Competencies
(Technical Standards)

Graduates of the baccalaureate and master's programs in the Kirkhof College of Nursing (KCON) at Grand Valley State University (GVSU) must demonstrate the ability to meet and complete the core competencies of critical thinking, communication, assessment, and technical skills. The criteria to meet and complete the core competencies are established by the faculty of KCON.

KCON will consider for admission any applicant who meets the admission criteria for a specific program 

In order to maintain an acceptable level of performance, and successfully complete the nursing programs at GVSU, students must demonstrate the following criteria for the core competencies.

Criteria for the Core Competency of Critical Thinking:
¿ The mental capacities to read, assimilate, and learn a large amount of complex, technical, and detailed information.
¿ The ability to gather, organize, analyze, and synthesize subjective and objective data in order to formulate appropriate nursing diagnostic and therapeutic plans.
¿ The ability to maintain composure and emotional stability during periods of stress and uncertainty.

Criteria for the Core Competency of Communication:
¿ The ability to communicate effectively and sensitively with clients and families from different social and cultural backgrounds.
¿ The ability to develop effective professional rapport with clients, families and co-workers.
¿ The ability to communicate accurately and efficiently in both written and oral formats.
¿ The ability to develop empathetic, culturally sensitive, professional relationships with clients, families, and others.

Criteria for the Core Competency of Assessment:
¿ The ability to accurately observe clients, families and the environment through functional use of the senses of vision, hearing, touch, taste, and smell.
¿ Adequate sensory function and motor coordination to fulfill minimum program objectives for assessment and diagnosis.

Criteria for the Core Competency of Technical Skills:
¿ Adequate sensory function and motor coordination to perform technical skills.
¿ Sufficient postural control, neuromuscular control, strength, and eye-to-hand coordination to perform technical skills.
¿ The physical ability to respond to emergency situations quickly and appropriately.

Agency policies may preclude clinical placement of students who do not meet agency criteria.  KCON will attempt to secure clinical placements for students, but cannot guarantee clinical placement at a given time in a given site. 

March 2005
(Technical Standards)
(Added 8/05)