Accommodations for Disabilities

Mount Carmel College of Nursing is respectful of students’ rights and responsibilities in accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA) as amended by the ADA Amendment Act of 2008 and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973. These laws require that no qualified person with a disability shall, on the basis of disability, be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or otherwise be subjected to discrimination under any program or activity which receives or benefits from Federal assistance.

Mount Carmel College of Nursing is committed to serving qualified students with disabilities in its programs and services. Any qualified student with a disability may request an accommodation to ensure that the academic program does not discriminate against or have the effect of discriminating against that student.

Since the nature and severity of disabilities varies, academic adjustments may be applicable only when they are appropriate to the needs of the individual student with a disability. To determine eligibility for academic accommodations, the College requires current and relevant documentation from a qualified professional with expertise in the area of the diagnosed disability/disorder that establishes a disability and its impact on the student and confirms the need for each accommodation requested.

Accommodations

An accommodation (also sometimes called adjustments) is a modification of policies, practices, or procedures that will allow the student with a disability/disorder to meet the requirements of the course or program.  Examples of available accommodations may include, but are not necessarily limited to, auxiliary aids and modifications to courses, programs, services, activities, or facilities.  The College will take all steps necessary to ensure that its students are not excluded from participation in, denied the benefits of, or otherwise subjected to discrimination in any program or activity because of a lack of auxiliary aids and services for students with impaired sensory, manual, or speaking skills. The College, however, cannot honor requests for accommodations that would fundamentally alter academic requirements that are essential to the instruction being pursued by a student or are directly related to any licensing requirements, cause undue hardship on the College, or jeopardize the health or safety of others.

It is the responsibility of the student to make his or her disability status and/or need for an accommodation known to the College, following the process outlined below.  Once notified, the College will work with the student to identify potential accommodations and assess the practicality and effectiveness of each potential accommodation.

Determinations regarding accommodations will be made on a case-by-case basis.  An accommodation must be tailored to address the nature of the disability and the needs of the individual within the context of the requirements of the program of study.  If there are two or more possible accommodations, and one costs more or is more burdensome than the other, the College may choose the less expensive or less burdensome accommodation that is still effective.

Disability Definition

Generally, a person with a disability is one who has a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities.  Major life activities include, but are not limited to, caring for oneself, performing manual tasks, seeing, hearing, eating, sleeping, walking, standing, lifting, bending, speaking, breathing, learning, reading, concentrating, thinking, communicating, and working.

Admission of Students with Disabilities

Students with disabilities may apply to and are considered for admission to the College in the same manner as any other applicant and must meet the same admission requirements and Functional Abilities and Performance Standards, with or without reasonable academic adjustments (accommodations), as all other students.

No student (or prospective student) is required by law to disclose a disability before or after admission to the College. However, disclosure and documentation of a disability is required if academic adjustments (accommodations) are requested.

Students (and prospective students) are encouraged to review the Functional Abilities and Performance Standards that are essential for the safe practice of professional nursing and for successful participation in and completion of a nursing education program. Students will need to demonstrate satisfactory application of these functional abilities and performance standards, with or without reasonable accommodations or academic adjustments, during their course of study in nursing.

Functional Abilities and Performance Standards

Mount Carmel College of Nursing believes that certain essential functional abilities and performance standards are necessary for the safe practice of professional nursing and the successful participation in completion of a nursing education program

Students (and prospective students) are encouraged to review these Functional Abilities and Performance Standards. Students will need to demonstrate satisfactory application of these functional abilities and performance standards, with or without reasonable accommodations or academic adjustments, during their course of study in nursing.

The essential functional abilities and performance standards include:

• Sensory:  The ability to gather accurate and complete data from the physical environment using vision, touch, and hearing. Ability to accurately distinguish between colors and see changes in colors; discriminate, visually, at the millimeter level between technical markings and small type fonts; ability to hear device and overhead alarms, communicate via telephone and other electronic modes of communication, and use a stethoscope to auscultate sounds within the human body; tactile ability to sense changes in the temperature of an object, including the skin of another person, perceive pulsatile forces (such as produced in an artery by the contraction of the heart), and to detect the presence of abnormal bumps, nodules, or masses upon palpation of skin and tissues.
• Communication:  The ability to communicate verbally and non-verbally with other people, including through the use of telecommunication technologies such as phones, computers, and intercoms. Ability to interpret common non-verbal expressions indicating pain, discomfort, anxiety, and other behavioral states. Effectiveness in communication using both written and spoken English. Ability to give and provide information accurately, quickly, and efficiently. The ability to enter text using a standard computer keyboard and print text and place a signature, in a legible fashion, on paper and other surfaces.
• Cognitive:  Ability to process multiple sources of information, develop an understanding, make judgments and decisions, and take actions based on this information. Ability to read and understand electronic and paper documents, including technical medical and clinical documents, in English. Ability to develop increasingly complex understandings of cultural, social, scientific, and interpersonal concepts necessary for making sound professional nursing judgments. Ability to take measurements, communicate and describe the physical environment quantitatively, perform advanced arithmetic and numerical operations (such as is necessary for calculating medication dosages and rates), and interpret graphical displays of scientific and real-time physiologic data.
• Motor:  Fine and gross motor skills sufficient to operate common clinical equipment such as IV pumps, suction devices, and floor lifts; ability to perform a physical assessment or examination on clients across the lifespan; ability to carry out delicate and/or emergency clinical procedures such as airway suctioning, intravenous line insertion, and giving injections. Ability to lift up to 40 pounds independently. Stamina required to completely satisfy nursing work requirements of during a “shift” of 10 consecutive hours.
• Behavioral and emotional:  Ability to work in teams of diverse providers in a positive, non-threatening, and non-discriminatory manner. Ability to develop effective therapeutic relationships with clients. Ability to effectively perform professional duties in stressful situations and under significant time pressures. Ability to regulate emotions in times of stress, anger, or upset. Ability to adhere to and apply ethical and professional codes of conduct and all applicable laws and regulations. Openness to new experiences, revision of existing attitudes, and positive regard for uncertainty and change in work and study settings.

Procedure

1. A student requesting academic accommodations1 under this policy must notify the College’s Title II/Section 504 Coordinator (the “Coordinator”) as soon as possible after the need for an accommodation becomes apparent. The student should schedule a meeting with the Coordinator to discuss his or her needs and requested accommodations. The Title II/Section 504 Coordinator has been designated to handle inquiries into academic accommodations. Contact information:

Title II/Section 504 Coordinator
Mount Carmel College of Nursing
127 S. Davis Ave., Columbus, OH 43222
Phone: 614-234-5777 or equity@mccn.edu

2. Students are required to provide current (generally no more than three years old) documentation of the disability to the Coordinator. This documentation must be from a professional who has undergone appropriate and comprehensive training, has relevant experience and licensure appropriate to the profession (such as a licensed psychologist, physician, or nurse practitioner). The documentation should describe the nature of the disability, the extent to which the disability limits one or more major life activities, and the suggested accommodation(s).
3. Upon submission of required documentation, the Coordinator will engage in an individualized, interactive process with the student to determine possible academic accommodations. A copy of the official documentation will be maintained in the student’s file by the Coordinator. The Coordinator will review the documentation and any requested accommodations with the appropriate Associate Dean.  If necessary, the Coordinator will discuss any alternative accommodations with the student and the Associate Dean. The determination as to whether a requested accommodation will be granted lies with the Coordinator. (In some situations, a temporary plan may be developed and implemented by the Coordinator, upon notification to the Associate Dean, where additional time is required for diagnostic evaluation.  A minimum of 2 business days is required to implement the accommodations.)
4. The Coordinator will then notify the student of the determination.  If an accommodation is granted, the Coordinator will provide to the student a form setting forth the accommodation for the student to provide to the Department Chair and any instructors. If needed, the instructor and Coordinator will collaborate to plan and implement the academic accommodation.
5. Students who receive accommodations must meet with the Coordinator at the end of each semester to discuss their progress.
6. If a student feels that his or her accommodations are not being met, he/she must notify the Coordinator immediately.
7. If a student has been granted academic accommodations and chooses not to use the accommodation(s), the student is required to notify the Coordinator in writing that the student will not be utilizing the accommodations.
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   ¹The Ohio Board of Nursing governs requests for accommodations by an applicant for the NCLEX-RN^® Examination. The Board has promulgated a policy, available here directly from the Ohio Board of Nursing website. Students are encouraged to review these requirements, including the requirement for a letter from the nursing education program demonstrating that accommodations were in place during the nursing education program.

Grievance Procedure

f the student’s request for an accommodation is denied or the student is dissatisfied with the accommodation being provided, the College encourages the student to engage in an informal dialog with the Coordinator in an attempt to resolve the issue.

If a matter cannot be resolved informally or if the student prefers to file a formal grievance, a written grievance must be submitted to the Academic Dean. The informal resolution process is strictly voluntary and is not a prerequisite to filing a formal grievance.

The student may file a formal grievance by submitting a written grievance to the Academic Dean within fourteen (14) business days of an occurrence giving rise to the grievance. The Academic Dean will then review the issue, request to meet with the student, and then provide the student with a written decision in response to the grievance no later than fifteen (15) business days after the grievance is submitted.  The Academic Dean’s decision shall be final.

A student is not required to file a grievance with the College prior to pursuing any federal or state administrative remedy.

Discrimination Based on Disability

A student who believes he/she has been discriminated against or harassed due to a disability should contact the Coordinator who will assist with making a complaint under the College’s Anti-Discrimination and Anti-Harassment Policy .

Retaliation

The College prohibits retaliation against anyone who files a grievance under this policy or otherwise complains that he or she has been denied equal access in the form of appropriate accommodations, modifications, auxiliary aids or effective communication.

This prohibition of retaliation similarly extends to anyone who has testified, assisted, or participated in any manner in an investigation, proceeding or hearing related to a grievance or complaint under this policy.

Student Privacy

Except where necessary to further the purpose of this policy or where otherwise permitted by law, documentation of a student’s disability will be kept confidential and will not be shared with other administrators or faculty members without the student’s consent according to FERPA. Any request by a student to review the documents associated with his or her request for an accommodation or grievance under this policy should be submitted to the Coordinator.