Feb 11, 2025

2023-2026 Academic Catalog

Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN)

Location(s): Ponce Campus

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Admission Requirements
General Requirements
Curriculum

Program Description

Ponce Health Sciences University (PHSU) has developed a Bachelor of Science Degree in Nursing (BSN) Program offering Direct Entry and Upper Division Entry Options. The 121-credit hour BSN Program is sequentially structured and can be completed in approximately three to five calendar years. The Program, based on the American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN) Essentials of Baccalaureate Education for Professional Nursing Practice (October 20, 2008), prepares registered nurses to be providers, designers, leaders, managers, and coordinators of care as well as accountable members of the nursing profession and to pursue graduate-level education.

The Essentials of Baccalaureate Education of Nursing Practice include:

Liberal Education for Baccalaureate Generalist Nursing Practice
Basic Organizational and Systems Leadership for Quality Care and Patient Safety
Scholarship for Evidence-Based Practice
Information Management and Application of Patient Care Technology
Healthcare Policy, Finance, and Regulatory Environments
Inter-professional Communication and Collaboration for Improving Patient Health
Outcomes
Clinical Prevention and Population Health
Professionalism and Professional Values
Baccalaureate Generalist Nursing Practice

The BSN program also allows individuals to implement evidence-based practice in the delivery of professional nursing care based on higher-level competencies throughout various clinical settings. The evidence-based practice incorporates scientific findings in the delivery of nursing care that includes both theory and practical clinical skills required by the field of nursing to provide leadership and render safe, culturally appropriate patient care to BSN Program Description Ponce Health Sciences University (PHSU) has developed the

Students must complete the 121- credits hours to graduate with the BSN. The Program is sequentially structured and can be completed in approximately three years with full-time enrollment.

Mission

The Mission of the SON is to prepare ethical, compassionate, and culturally competent nursing professionals to impact the health of the communities we serve. SON provides students with high-quality interprofessional, innovative, and technology-driven global education. Our goal is to improve the health of vulnerable populations by practicing scientific, evidence-based clinical care and applying effective promotion, prevention, and intervention strategies.

Vision

The Nursing Program’s vision statement is future oriented. It supports the Vision of PHSU by aspiring to be recognized for excellence and innovation in education, leadership, advocacy, research, and culturally competent nursing practice.

Values

The core values of the Nursing Program serve as the foundation of nursing practice at the MSN/FNP and are applicable for advanced practice nursing as well.

The values that guided the curriculum development for the Nursing Program are based on the nursing theorist Jean Watson (2001).

The following are the core values shared by the faculty:

Compassion

PHSU SON genuinely cares about others and raises relationships with empathy, dignity, and respect, promoting a caring environment in the healthcare system.

Diversity

PHSU SON promotes the representation of unique perspectives and supports an environment where unity and differences contribute to individuality.

Trust

PHSU SON promotes a respectful environment in and out of the classroom based on communication and mutual understanding, with confidentiality and respect for the students’ needs.

Ethics

PHSU SON mission reflects humanistic ideals and upholds everyone’s inherent dignity and worth.

Excellence

PHSU SON encourages the highest quality in everything our faculty, students, and staff do with a commitment to integrity.

Holism

PHSU SON has a holistic method of nursing education that sees the student as a whole and prepares the student to deal with the patient’s holistic needs.

Creativity

PHSU SON encourages the use of technological and evidence-based innovation.

Respect

PHSU SON encourages positive, productive, and professional relations and inspires individuals to speak differing viewpoints effectively and respectfully. Distinguish the range of perceptions and talents among students, faculty, staff, and our community.

Courage

PHSU SON promotes our faculty, students, and staff to challenge existing paradigms to advance health equity and achieve health justice.

Commitment

PHSU SON promotes public service and advocacy for the unprivileged communities and persons as a resource for personal, educational, cultural, and economic development in the advancement of a healthy environment.

Professionalism

PHSU SON promotes competency, systematic use of the nursing process, leadership, clinical judgment, and lifelong learning, leading to ethical, safe, quality patient care.

Philosophy

The Nursing Faculty and Administration support the Guiding Principles of PHSU. They are committed to supporting the core values of the Nursing Program as recommended by the American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN) for Baccalaureate Generalist Nursing Practice and the American Nurses Association (ANA) Code of Ethics. Nursing education’s core values are based on science and the arts that support providing caring and compassionate patient-centered care. The baccalaureate graduate nurse is prepared to practice with patients, including individuals, families, groups, communities, and populations across the lifespan and the continuum of healthcare environments. The baccalaureate graduate understands and respects the variations of care, the increased complexity, and the increased use of healthcare resources inherent for patients.

The core values of the Nursing Program serve as the foundation of nursing practice at the BSN entry level and are applicable for advanced practice nursing as well. The “caritive values” that guided the curriculum development for the Nursing Program are based on the nursing theorist Jean Watson (2001). The following are the core values shared by the faculty:

Caring
Diversity
Trust
Ethics
Excellence
Holism
Spirituality
Evidenced-Based Decision-making
Patient-Centeredness
Transformative Power of Technology
Willingness to Embrace Change

Nursing Program Graduate Outcomes

At the time of graduation from the Nursing Program, nursing students are expected to:

Demonstrate a commitment to excellence in professional accountability, leadership, professional behaviors, and responsibility for nursing judgments and actions within a moral, ethical, and legal framework, utilizing the most current information resources with a commitment to continuous professional development.
Utilize the most current informatics and technology resources to communicate, manage knowledge, educate, mitigate error, and support decision-making to promote patient safety and quality care services.
Function effectively within nursing and inter-professional teams, fostering open communication, mutual respect, and shared decision-making to achieve quality patient care and improved patient outcomes.
Facilitate safe, holistic, and effective patient/family-centered care outcomes through evidence-based research and other science-based, humanities, and research frameworks.
Promote a caring culture to provide holistic, compassionate, culturally competent patient-centered nursing care based on a comprehensive and focused health assessment across the lifespan using sound clinical judgment.
Evaluate the policy implications on issues of access, equity, affordability, and social justice in healthcare delivery, including the health of vulnerable populations and healthcare disparities.
Advocate for patients, families, communities, and the nursing profession, applying values and utilizing an ethical framework, clinical reasoning, and cultural competence.
Implement individual and population-focused interventions to promote health and to prevent and manage disease and injuries by identifying threats to safety and developing strategies to minimize the risk of harm to individuals and populations.

Admission Requirements

High School Students

Applicants to the BSN Program must have a recognized high school diploma or a General Equivalency Examination (GED) or the equivalent.
Applicants must have a general high school GPA of 2.50.
Submit one letter of recommendation from a person not related to you who can speak to your potential to become a registered professional nurse.
Candidates under 21 must comply with immunizations included in the Puerto Rico Department of Health guidelines.
All students must comply with immunizations required by health-related professionals, in this case, with the nursing school requirements.
1. Hepatitis B 3 doses or titers every ten (10) years after the last dose administration
2. COVID-19 3 doses
3. Varicella 2 doses or titers every ten (10) years after the last dose administration
4. Influenza yearly
Negative penal records certification is required before admission.

Conditional Admission

High school graduates with a cumulative GPA of 2.40 to 2.49 may be granted conditional admission to the BSN Program at PHSU.
This classification is for the first year.
The student must enroll in general education and core courses and achieve a minimum GPA of 2.50 each quarter of the probation year.
After complying with the 2.50 GPA, the student can progress as a regular student to the second year of the nursing curriculum.
Comply with the following documents:
1. All students must comply with immunizations required by health-related professionals, in this case, with the nursing school requirements.
  1. Hepatitis B 3 doses or titers every ten (10) years after the last dose administration
  2. COVID-19 3 doses
  3. Varicella 2 doses or titers every ten (10) years after the last dose administration
  4. Influenza yearly
2. Negative penal records certification is required before admission.
3. Submit one letter of recommendation from a person not related to you who can speak to your potential to become a registered professional nurse.
4. Admission application in person or on the website
5. Official post-secondary transcripts if you are a transfer.
6. Official transcript if you are a high school admitted student.
7. High School Diploma

Transfer Students

For admissions as a Transfer Student, PHSU requires applicants to have a cumulative GPA of 2.5 from accredited schools.
Only courses with grades of B or higher can be accepted for transfer.
The total number of credits, 30, can be transferred after evaluation of the content of the course.
Comply with the following documents:
1. All students must comply with immunizations required by health-related professionals, in this case, with the nursing school requirements.
  1. Hepatitis B 3 doses or titers every ten (10) years after the last dose administration
  2. COVID-19 3 doses
  3. Varicella 2 doses or titers every ten (10) years after the last dose administration
  4. Influenza yearly
2. Negative penal records certification is required before admission.
3. Submit one letter of recommendation from a person not related to you who can speak to your potential to become a registered professional nurse.
4. Admission application in person or on the website
5. Official post-secondary transcripts.
High School Diploma

To apply, submit the following admission documents directly to the admissions office:

Admission application in person or on the website
Official High School transcript (s) with degree conferred.
Transfer students must present post-secondary transcripts.
One letter of recommendation
Negative Penal Record Certification

Accepted Students

Upon acceptance, a deposit of US $100 to secure the seat is required. Once accepted to PHSU, a student will be sent a Letter of Acceptance, Health Form, Welcome Packet, and Visa Form (if needed). Assistance is provided to students throughout the enrollment process.

Graduation Requirements

To receive a Bachelor of Science Degree in Nursing, every student must fulfill the following requirements:

Have attended nine regular quarters met all the approved clinical requirements, and completed all coursework and examinations as required by the faculty.
Have met all the requirements for satisfactory academic progress.
Received a passing grade on all required examinations.
Have shown a behavior considered acceptable to academic instructors and supervisors.
Have settled all financial and library obligations with PHSU.

Students who have successfully completed the BSN program and wish to practice in the US are eligible to apply to sit for the NCLEX-RN examination. Each state Board of Nursing has different licensure requirements. The requirements for eligibility to take the NCLEX and to get a license/registration are determined by the board of nursing/regulatory body (BON/RB). If you want information about eligibility and licensure/registration requirements, contact the BON/RB where you wish to practice. PHSU School of Nursing will assist you in understanding the requirements.

Grading System

The nursing program defines grades of nursing and support courses based on the following system:

Percentage	Grade	Honor Points
100-90	A	4
89-80	B	3
79-70	C	2
69-60	D	1
59-0	F	0
W	Withdrawal
AW	Administrative Withdrawal
I	Incomplete
IP	In Progress
P	Pass
NP	Not Pass

All students are required to obtain a minimum cumulative grade point average (GPA) of 2.50. An “I” (Incomplete) grade will only be allowed under very special circumstances as determined by the faculty. The student must complete the “I” (Incomplete) by the following trimester or an - “F” will be recorded for that course. The “I” (Incomplete) grades are part of the academic record as are the final grades.

General Requirement

A nursing student will be allowed a maximum time frame of two years of enrollment beyond the standard of three years required to complete the program. Summer enrollment is considered part of the academic year for this measure.

To ensure that a student is making sufficient academic progress to meet the maximum timeframe requirement, the student must complete 67% of all credits attempted. Development and skill courses are included in the timeframe calculation but not in the rate of progress calculation.

This policy also ensures that the Student Financial Aid requirements set forth by federal regulations have been met. The SAP applies to all nursing students enrolled in Ponce Health Sciences University School of Nursing. A student’s academic progress is evaluated each quarter of the academic year.

The total years to complete a degree for transfer students include those accredited on admission to the BSN Program.

Time Frame for Completion of the Academic Program

Program	Standard	Maximum
Bachelor of Science in Nursing	3 Years	5 Years

Classification of Nursing Students

Nursing students at PHSU are classified for financial aid purposes as follows:

Full-time student - student enrolled in 12 or more credits/quarter.
Half-time student - student enrolled in 6 to 8 credits per quarter.
Part-time student -student enrolled in less than 6 credits per quarter.

Course Requirement

Students must complete all courses within the established time frame.

Performance Requirement

A student must pass each course. Any student failing to meet this performance standard will be referred to the Students Promotion Committee to determine the action to be taken.

Professional Behavior Requirement

The students must conduct themselves in accordance with the norms for professional conduct set forth by Ponce Health Sciences University and the corresponding accreditation agencies.

Grade Requirements

Students will not attain Satisfactory Academic Progress and will be referred to the School of Nursing Students Promotion Committee is to be considered for dismissal if any of the following occur:

Earning an “F” or “WF” in two or more courses in one trimester
Earning an “F” or “WF” in a nursing course after having had two “F’s” or “WFs” in previous trimesters
Earning an “F” or “WF” in the same nursing course taken twice
Earning less than a 2.50 semester GPA in two consecutive trimesters

Students receiving one “F” in one trimester but having a trimester GPA of 2.5 or greater will be given an academic warning and placed on “Probation”. Students on probation must meet with the Dean of Nursing at the beginning and throughout the trimester.

Appeal Process

Students notified by the Dean of Nursing regarding the decision of the Students Promotion Committee that he/she must repeat failed courses during the next academic year or be dismissed from the nursing program have the right to appeal the decision within five (5) working days after receiving the notification.

The appeal or due process presented below must be followed.

The student will appeal in writing to the School of Nursing Students Promotion Committee (SPC) and include all relevant documentation to support the request. The Committee will evaluate the reasons and evidence submitted to determine if they change their initial decision. The SPC has 48 hours to submit its decision to the Dean of Nursing, who will notify the student’s decision.

If the SPC sustains the adverse decision, the student can appeal to the Dean of Nursing. The appeal must be submitted in writing within seven working days of receiving the notification. The Dean of Nursing will evaluate the request and the student’s academic record.

The Dean can appoint a three-member Ad-Hoc Committee to re-evaluate all evidence. Rejection of the appeal by the Dean is final.

If an Ad-Hoc Committee is appointed, they will notify the student in writing of the date and the time when the appeal will be evaluated. The Ad-Hoc Committee has forty-eight (48) hours to submit a recommendation to the Dean of Nursing. The Dean of Nursing will consider the Ad-Hoc.

Committee recommendation and make the final decision within forty-eight (48) hours.

Any decision will be reported to the student in writing. The decision made by the Dean of Nursing is final.

The exact process described above will be followed if the adverse decision made by the Committee is for non-academic reasons, such as unacceptable professional behavior. The Department Chairperson, the Dean of Nursing, or the VP for Student Affairs will refer the case to the SPC. If the SPC recommends dismissing the student, the appeal process described above may be activated.

Suppose an adverse decision is made due to non-academic reasons and the Dean of Nursing sustains the decision after the appeal process. In that case, the student may appeal to the Vice President for Academic Affairs and then to the President.

Financial Aid Eligibility

Financial Aid eligibility is contingent upon satisfactory academic progress. Please refer to the institutional policy on Satisfactory Academic Progress published by the Office of

Financial Aid.

Classification of Nursing Students

Nursing students at PHSU are classified for financial aid purposes as follows:

Full-time student - student enrolled in 12 or more credits/quarter.
Three-fourths of students enrolled in 9 to 11 credits/ quarter.
Half-time student - student enrolled in 6 to 8 credits per quarter.
Part-time student -student enrolled in less than 6 credits per quarter.

Enforcement

The Office of the Vice President for Student Affairs shall have primary responsibility for overseeing this policy. It will provide all nursing students with a copy of this document upon admission to Ponce Health Sciences University School of Nursing. The President, Vice President for Academic Affairs, the Vice President for Student Affairs, the Dean of Nursing, Registrar, and Financial Aid Manager will receive all pertinent data to ensure proper policy enforcement.

Satisfactory Academic Progress Policy

Federal and state regulations require that Ponce Health Sciences University, School of Nursing (PHSU-SON), implement a policy to measure satisfactory academic progress toward the baccalaureate degree in nursing (BSN).

The Standards of Academic Progress (SAP) apply to the following programs:

Federal Title IV Programs: Pell Grant and the Direct Loan Program (Stafford Loan Program), and the Direct Parent Loan for Undergraduate Students
Veteran’s Educational Benefits: All Chapters and Post 9/11 Benefits
Completion Rate and Grade Point Average Requirement

All students must render good academic progress to remain in attendance at PHSU-SON. All courses attempted in a specific quarter can be used to measure academic progress. Course withdrawals may affect educational progress if the hours earned do not meet the criteria for quantitative and/or qualitative measures of satisfactory progress. Not meeting good academic progress will impair student aid eligibility.

Quantitative and qualitative standards are used to evaluate satisfactory academic progress in the BSN Program and are measured every term. Quantitative standards include grades on quizzes, exams, and care plans, among other measurement tools.

These standards are for financial aid purposes only and do not replace or override the academic policies of Ponce Health Sciences University ~~Mount Carmel College of Nursing~~.

Note: All students must meet the same minimum Standards regardless of eligibility for Title IV funding.

Quantitative Measure - Pace of Completion:

PACE, or pace of progression, is the quantitative standard for Satisfactory Academic Progress, measuring the percentage of attempted cumulative hours completed. The completion rate is decided by dividing the total number of credit hours earned by the total number of credit hours attempted. The US Department of Education requires all college students to have completed at least 67% of all courses attempted for undergraduate level, and 70% for graduate students, to maintain eligibility for federal financial aid.

PACE is calculated by dividing the earned credits by the attempted credits. If you made 45 credit hours and attempted 65, your PACE is 69% (45/65 * 100), and you retain eligibility. Credit hours tried at other colleges may be included in the PACE calculation.

PROGRAM	PACE PERCENTAGE
Bachelor’s in Sciences of Nursing (BSN)	67%
Master’s in Sciences of Nursing (MSN/FNP)	70%

Cumulatively

A student must complete a minimum percentage of all credit hours to stay on pace for completing their program before reaching the maximum time frame allowed. Attempted credit hours include any credit hours the student was enrolled in after the refund period.

Maximum Time Limit for Completion of Degree

Once a student enrolls in a course at PHSU-SON, the degree requirements must be completed within three (3) consecutive academic years for a full-time student and six (6) consecutive academic years for a part-time student. Completion time may vary for students changing from full-time status to any other status and/or withdrawing from courses. A student will never have more than six (6) years to complete the BSN degree requirements.

Time Limit for Completion of the Academic Program

Program	Standard	Maximum
Bachelor’s of Science in Nursing	3 Years	6 Years

Classification of Nursing Students

Nursing students at PHSU-SON are classified for financial aid purposes as follows:

Full-time student - student enrolled in 12 or more credits/quarter.
Half-time student - student enrolled in 6 to 8 credits per quarter.
Part-time student -student enrolled in less than 6 credits per quarter.

Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) is based on three components:

Completion Rate
1. A student must have completed 67% of all hours attempted for financial aid eligibility. This is decided by dividing the total hours earned by the total hours tried. Attempted hours will include grades of F, W, I. Yet, these grades will NOT count as earned hours.
2. Repeating courses will add to the total number of attempted hours but will only count once as earned hours.
3. If a student chooses to retake a course that he/she has already passed at some point, he/she can do this once and receive financial aid. Financial aid cannot fund three or more attempts to take a previously passed course.
Time limit
1. A student can only receive financial aid for a maximum of 1.5 times the total credit hours needed for his/her degree program.
2. For the BSN, which requires 161 credit hours for graduation, this equals a maximum of 241.5 hours that can be attempted.
3. Any hours attempted, but not completed, will count.
4. Transfer credit hours must be included in the maximum of 241.5.
5. Repeats, failures, and withdrawals will also count toward the maximum.
6. Any student who has exceeded the maximum time limit allowed due to transfer hours or a major change must submit an appeal.
  Appeal Process
  Students notified by the Dean of Nursing regarding the Students Promotion Committee’s decision that he/she must repeat failed courses during the next academic year, or be dismissed from the nursing program, have the right to appeal the decision within five (5) working days after having received the notification.
7. Student Financial Services will review the credits that apply toward the student’s program of study to decide future financial aid eligibility. An academic plan signed by a Financial Services representative will be needed.
GPA
1. All Graduate programs require a 3.0 minimum GPA throughout the course of study.
2. An undergraduate student must achieve a minimum cumulative grade point average of 2.50.
3. Repeated and failed courses will also count toward the cumulative GPA.

SAP Review

After each Spring Quarter/payment period, Financial Aid will review the completion rate, time limit, and GPA for each student enrolled in that quarter/payment period. Depending on the student’s status compared to these factors, the student’s progress for financial aid purposes will be decided as follows:

Satisfactory Academic Progress
This applies to any student who passed the number of earned hours to attempted hours, has not exceeded the maximum total attempted hours allowed for their program, and whose GPA meets the requirements listed above.
Financial Aid Warning
1. This applies to any student who does not meet the requirements for completion, time limit, and GPA listed above for the quarter/payment period.
2. A warning letter will be sent to the student at the end of the quarter/payment period to show why he/she is receiving a warning and what must be done within the next semester/payment period to be back in accordance with the SAP rules.
3. If the student does not meet these requirements, the student’s federal, state, and institutional financial aid will be suspended for future quarters/payment periods.
4. The student must bring the hours and/or GPA back to good standing or appeal to regain eligibility for financial aid. A student cannot have two consecutive semesters/payment periods on warning.
Unsatisfactory Academic Progress
This applies to a student who has not met the requirements for completion rate, GPA, and attempted hours after his/her warning period. This student is not eligible for federal, state, or institutional financial aid until the student meets the requirements in the three areas listed above or completes, and is approved for, an SAP Appeal.
Financial Aid Probation
This applies only to a student who has failed to meet SAP requirements and has had an appeal approved by Student Financial Services. A student may be on probation for one semester/payment period only. If a student has not met the SAP requirements above, he/she should work with a Financial Services Representative to understand what options exist to regain eligibility.
Academic Plan
This status applies to any student who has submitted an academic plan as part of an SAP appeal and has completed the goals for that quarter/payment period outlined by the plan. The student stays eligible for federal and state financial aid but does not meet the definition of an SAP-eligible student.

Grade Requirements

Students who do not reach Satisfactory Academic Progress will be referred to the PHSU Students Promotion Committee to be considered for dismissal if any of the following occur:

Earning an “F” in two or more courses in one quarter
Earning an “F” in a nursing course after having had two “F’s” in previous quarters
Earning an “F” in the second attempt at a nursing course
Earning less than a 2.50 GPA in two consecutive quarters

Students receiving one “F” in one quarter, but having a quarter GPA of 2.5 or greater, will be given an academic warning and placed on “Probation.” Students on probation must meet with the Associate Dean of Nursing at the beginning of, and throughout, the quarter.

Due Process for Appeal presented below must be followed.

The student will appeal in writing to the PHSU Promotion Committee (PC) and include all relevant documentation to support the request.
The Committee will evaluate the reasons and evidence to decide if they change their first decision.
The PC has 48 working hours to send its decision to the Dean of Nursing, who will notify the Committee’s decision to the student.
1. If the PC sustains the adverse decision, the student can appeal to the Dean of Nursing.
2. The appeal must be submitted in writing within seven working days of having received the notification.
3. The Dean of Nursing will evaluate the request along with the student’s academic record.
4. Rejection of the appeal by the Dean is final.
Any decision made by the Dean of Nursing will be reported to the student in writing and is final.

The exact process described above will be followed if the adverse decision made by the Committee is for non-academic reasons, such as unacceptable professional behavior. The Department Chairperson, the Dean of Nursing, or the VP for Student Affairs will refer the case to the PC. If the PC recommends dismissing the student, the appeal process described above may be activated.

In the case an adverse decision is made due to non-academic reasons, and the Dean of Nursing sustains the decision after the appeal process, the student may appeal to the Vice President for Academic Affairs, and then to the President.

Financial Aid Eligibility

Financial Aid eligibility is contingent upon satisfactory academic progress. Please refer to the institutional policy on Satisfactory Academic Progress published by the Office of Financial Aid.

Essential Performance Standards in Nursing

Students must be able to perform the functions necessary for the safe practice of nursing and essential to the licensing requirements for nursing, with or without reasonable accommodation, to be admitted to the PHSU Nursing Program. The following are the indispensable performance standards in nursing:

ISSUE	STANDARD	EXAMPLE
Critical Thinking	Critical thinking ability sufficient for clinical judgment.	Identify cause/effect relationships in clinical situations, develop a nursing care.
Interpersonal	Interpersonal abilities sufficient for interaction with individuals, families, and groups from various social, emotional, cultural, and intellectual backgrounds.	Establish rapport with patients/clients and colleagues.
Communication	Communication abilities sufficient for verbal and written interaction with other.	Explain treatment procedures, initiate health teaching, and document and interpret nursing actions and patient/client responses.
Mobility	Physical abilities sufficient for movement from room to room and in small spaces.	Move around in patient’s room, workspaces and treatment areas; administer cardiopulmonary procedures.
Motor Skills	Gross and fine motor abilities sufficient for providing safe, effective nursing care.	Calibrate and use equipment; position patients/clients.
Hearing	Auditory ability sufficient for monitoring and assessing health needs.	Hear monitor alarm, emergency signals, auscultator sounds and cries for help.
Visual	Visual ability sufficient for observation and assessment necessary nursing care.	Observe patient/client responses.
Tactile	Tactile ability sufficient for physical assessment.	Perform palpation, functions of physical examination and/or those related to therapeutic intervention (such as insertion of a catheter).