Certified Nursing Assistant Technical Standards
The students enrolled in the Certified Nursing Assistant program should be able to meet the established technical standards
identified below with or without reasonable accommodation. The technical standards for the Certified Nursing Assistant Program are
representative of those found in the Certified Nursing Assistant profession.
| Area | Standard | Examples (not inclusive) |
| Physical Skills | Students must perform physical activities that require considerable use of their hands, arms, and legs. This includes using hands, fingers, arms and legs. | • Bend, stretch, twist, reach with your body above shoulders, below waist, and in front • Transfer and feed clients • Move in confined spaces including walking, squatting, and lifting while maintaining balance • Manipulate, assemble, and move equipment • Type on a computer, write with a pen • Stand and maintain physical activity for several hours |
| Sensory Skills | Students must monitor and assess needs of the client and health care team. Students must have vision sufficient for observation and assessment necessary for patient care. Students must have the tactile ability to perform necessary patient care and documentation. | • Detect differences in body and environmental odors • Understand patient requests and needs • Visually detect environmental hazards • See and hear warning signals on equipment displays • Detect subtle changes or differences (e.g. pulse, rash, temperature) |
| Communication Skills | Students must effectively communicate and interact appropriately using verbal, nonverbal, and written communication with patients, peers, and all members of the health care team. |
• Speak, read, and write English • Listen and comprehend spoken and written English • Collaborate with others • Respond to others in an accepting and respectful manner |
| Critical Thinking Skills | Students must have measure, calculate, reason, and analyze information. They must demonstrate clinical competency. | • Apply knowledge and skills learned in the classroom to a clinical setting • Comprehend and follow instructions • Follow a processes from start to finish; sequence information • Adapt decisions based on new information • Maintain focus in an environment with distractions |
| Professionalism | Students must demonstrate integrity, moral reasoning, ethical behaviors and concern for others. They must acquire interpersonal skills for professional interactions with diverse individuals and communities. They must work cooperatively with professional teams, adapt to changing environments, and function effectively under stress. Students must keep healthcare information confidential. | • Establish a professional working relationship with the health care team, peers, instructors, patients, and families • Demonstrate positive interpersonal skills • Demonstrate impulse control and professional level of maturity • Maintain appropriate boundaries in relationships with patients and peers • Handle demanding and stressful situations • Maintain confidential health care information (including by refraining from posting any confidential patient information on social media) |
| Safety | Students must apply knowledge and skills necessary to provide a safe environment for themselves, the patient, and the health care team. | • Wear personal protective equipment for safe practices (gloves, masks, eyewear, gown) • Tolerate heat and humidity during personal care activities • Work in an environment that may contain common allergens • Adhere to safety/emergency protocols • Recognize and respond to hazardous conditions • Maintain health care requirements • Carefully handle supplies and equipment throughout the course |
Students may individually discuss the technical standards with a college representative. Reasonable accommodations are available for students with documented disabilities through the Student Accessibility Office, located in C-021, 262.691.5318. For more information related to the reasonable accommodation process, please visit: www.wctc.edu/student-accessibility.