Although this is not an all-inclusive list, MTSA believes the following qualifications represent some of the reasonable physical and intellectual requirements necessary to perform safely in both the educational program and profession of nurse anesthesia:
Health Status, Availability, and Accommodation
Essential Functions and Scheduling:
Students must be able to meet all Essential Functions/Technical Standards of nurse anesthesia education and practice, with or without reasonable accommodation. This includes participation in didactic and clinical activities scheduled at variable times, including days, evenings, nights, weekends, holidays, extended shifts, off-hours, and on-call assignments, including in-house call, as required by the Program, its clinical sites, and applicable accreditation requirements. Consistent with COA accreditation requirements and the clinical education expectations of the Program, students must participate in off-hour and call experiences necessary to meet program and graduation requirements. Students must be able to meet scheduling, attendance, and clinical participation requirements necessary for progression in the Program.
Clinical learning experiences may occur at sites throughout the greater Nashville area and at out-of-area locations, with some assigned sites located two or more hours from Nashville. Students should expect that required clinical placements may involve travel to distant sites. For such assignments, housing may be offered by the school, subject to program requirements and availability. Alternative housing arrangements are at the student’s own expense. Students remain responsible for complying with all program and site scheduling requirements and for arranging transportation unless otherwise specified by the Program.
Because participation in assigned clinical experiences, including site placement, travel, housing arrangements, scheduling, off-hours work, and in-house call, may constitute essential components of the educational program, the Program generally does not approve accommodations that would eliminate or substantially modify these clinical requirements. Requests for accommodation will be evaluated on an individual basis in accordance with the Program’s Accommodations Policy and applicable law.
Duty to Notify:
Students who have, or who develop, a health condition or change in health status that may affect their ability to safely and reliably meet these requirements must promptly notify the Program so that reasonable accommodations, if appropriate, may be considered. Procedures for requesting accommodation or approval are set forth in the MTSA’s Accommodations Policy; students are responsible for following those procedures.
Scope of Information:
The Program does not require disclosure of a diagnosis. However, the Program may request documentation regarding functional limitations and the student’s ability to perform the essential functions safely, consistent with applicable law and program requirements.
Fitness for Duty and Safety:
The Program may require a fitness-for-duty clearance before a student returns to class or clinical activities following a health-related event when safety, performance, reliability, or patient care may be affected.
Confidentiality and Non-Retaliation:
Health information will be managed in accordance with FERPA & HIPAA guidelines. Retaliation against a student for requesting an accommodation, seeking approval through the Accommodations Policy, or making a good-faith disclosure is prohibited.
Observation and Communication
- Ability to communicate clearly and effectively with colleagues, patients of all ages, family members, and other members on the health care team in written and spoken English.
- Ability to process large amounts of information and activity in the operating room using visual, auditory, tactile, and other sensory cues to monitor and plan patient care.
- Ability to audibly distinguish the changes of pitch and tone of patient monitor devices and alarms.
Cognitive
- Possess foundational knowledge and ability to complete complex mathematical calculations without the use of electronic assistance.
- Skill to read and retain large amounts of information and draw from this information to critically analyze and problem solve.
- Ability to distinguish standard patient responses from non-standard responses and plan interventions accordingly using critical thinking. Also possess judgment to know when to call for assistance from other members of healthcare team.
- Maintain sustained focus and vigilance and respond to multisensory stimulation within a busy operating room environment for extended periods of time to protect patient safety.
- Post-graduate Students: Possess foundational Nurse Anesthesia knowledge and apply new concepts, theories, and evidence-based practice guidelines to explore alternative methods to provide patient care.
Behavior
- Exhibit professional and appropriate behavior when interacting with students, faculty, administrators, patients, all members of the healthcare team, and the general public.
- Maintain professionalism and confidentiality when dealing with student and patient issues, adhering to HIPAA guidelines (and FERPA guidelines, for NAEP students).
- Demonstrate flexibility and efficiency while working in a rapidly changing environment. Gracefully accept changes in assignments and scheduling.
- Display good judgment and ethical behavior that is in coordination with common Christian standards including honesty, integrity, sensitivity to culture and the person, and adherence to the professional nursing code of ethics.
Motor
- Display fine motor skills, coordinating touch and vision, necessary to complete complex tasks such as cannulation of veins and arteries, performance of regional anesthesia and direct laryngoscopy etc.
- For NAEP: Display fine motor skills, coordinating touch and vision, necessary to complete teaching and administrative tasks such as classroom, simulation, and clinical teaching.
- Demonstrate strength and ability to assist safe transfer of the patient.
- Stamina to stand or sit for extended periods of times.
- Respond quickly to changes in patient condition and participate in intervention, including but not limited to cardio-pulmonary resuscitation and emergency transportation.
- SRNA Mobility Requirements:
- Student Registered Nurse Anesthetists (SRNAs) must be able to meet the physical and mobility demands required for safe and effective participation in simulation activities. These requirements include the ability to lift up to 50 pounds occasionally and 25 pounds frequently; push or pull equipment weighing up to 100 pounds on wheels; and perform patient positioning and transfers using Safe Patient Handling and Mobility (SPHM) equipment in collaboration with team assistance.
- While these expectations reflect simulation-based training requirements, SRNAs should be aware that additional or site-specific physical demands may be encountered during clinical rotations, as requirements can vary across clinical settings.
- SRNAs are responsible for reporting any physical limitations or conditions that may affect their ability to safely meet these requirements in both simulation and clinical environments.