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Nursing Admissions Requirements

AIC Division of Nursing Requirements

The American International College (AIC) Division of Nursing identifies those functional abilities essential for success in the professional nursing education program, and ultimately for safe and effective nursing practice. These functional abilities are expected to be present in each nursing student at the beginning and throughout the AIC nursing education program. The functional abilities essential for entry into the Division of Nursing are as follows:

Essential Performance Standards

Adapted from: Yocom, C.J. (1996). Validation study: Functional abilities essential for nursing practice. National Council of State Boards of Nursing.

Strength
  • Push, pull, and lift 25 pounds
  • Move light objects weighing up to 10 pounds
  • Carry equipment and supplies
  • Use upper body strength (e.g., performs CPR, physically restrain a person)
  • Squeeze with hands (e.g., operates a fire extinguisher)
Endurance
  • Stand for long periods of time (e.g., at a person’s side during a procedure)
  • Sustain repetitive movements (e.g., CPR)
  • Maintain physical tolerance (e.g., work assigned clinical hours)
Mobility
  • Twist side to side
  • Bend at the waist
  • Stoop or squat to the floor
  • Move quickly (e.g., in response to an emergency)
  • Walk quickly
Gross Motor Skills
  • Stand and maintain balance
  • Reach above shoulders (e.g., IV poles)
  • Reach below waist (e.g., plug electrical appliances into wall outlets)
  • Move within a confined space
Fine Motor Skills
  • Pick up and grasp small and large objects
  • Write with pen or pencil
  • Pinch, squeeze, and/or twist otherwise work objects with finger

Hearing
  • Hear normal speaking level sounds
  • Hear faint body sounds (e.g., blood pressure sounds)
  • Hear in situations when not able to see lips (e.g., when masks are used)
  • Hear auditory alarms (e.g., fire, smoke, monitors, and call bells)
Visual
  • See objects up to 20 inches away (e.g., on a computer screen)
  • See objects up to and beyond 20 feet away (e.g., a client in a room)
  • Read measurement marks (e.g., measuring tapes, thermometers)
  • Use depth perception
  • Use peripheral vision
  • Distinguish color intensity
Tactile
  • Feel vibrations (e.g., palpate pulses)
  • Detect temperature
  • Feel differences in surface characteristics (e.g., rashes)
  • Feel differences in sizes, shapes (e.g., identify body landmarks)
Smell
  • Detect smoke
  • Detect noxious smells

Reading
  • Read and understand written documents
Arithmetic
  • Read and understand columns of writing (e.g., charts)
  • Read digital displays
  • Tell and measure time
  • Use measuring tools (e.g., measuring tapes, scales)
  • Add, subtract, multiply, and divide whole numbers
  • Compute fractions and decimals
  • Write numbers in records
  • Convert numbers to and from the metric system

Emotional Stability
  • Adapt to changing environment or stress
  • Focus attention on tasks
  • Monitor own emotions
Communication Skills
  • Respect differences in people
  • Establish rapport with peers
  • Interact with others
  • Convey information through writing, speaking and technology
  • Communicate via the telephone

Health Documentation Requirement

  • Physical Examination
  • Proof of required immunizations
    • Varicella
    • Mumps, Rubeola, & Rubella
    • Tetanus, Diphtheria & Pertussis
    • 3 doses of Hepatitis B (serologic proof of immunity is required).
    • Meningococcal vaccine
    • Annual influenza vaccine
    • COVID vaccination
    • tuberculin test

Immunizations required by the Massachusetts Department of Public Health and/or our clinical affiliates are required and are not eligible for exemption. For students who request vaccine exemption (medical or religious) for those vaccines not required by the Massachusetts Department of Public Health and/or our clinical affiliates, attempts to find clinical placement will be made but are not guaranteed. Should a clinical placement not be available due to the student’s vaccine exemption, the student will not be eligible to attend clinical. Failure to attend clinical will result in course failure and inability to progress in the Program.

Acceptable proof of the immunity is either by way of official documentation of having received the vaccine or through a positive titer. Health records including information about immunizations records must be updated and completed yearly.

Immunization requirements are subject to change based on Massachusetts Department of Public Health and/or clinical affiliates requirements.

Additional Requirements

  • Annual Criminal Offender Record Information (CORI)
  • Annual Sexual Offender Record Information (SORI)
  • Annual National Background Check
  • Annual Massachusetts Nurse Aide Registry Check
  • Urine Drug Screening
  • Current American Heart Association CPR certification

Academic Requirements

See the AIC Course Catalog for Academic Admission requirements

Massachusetts Board of Registration in Nursing Requirement

If you are or will be applying for initial RN licensure authorization in Massachusetts, you must comply with the Good Moral Character (GMC) requirements.

Massachusetts General Laws Chapter 112, sections 74 and 76 require you to provide specific documentation for GMC evaluation if you answer yes to questions related to criminal or disciplinary history.

GMC also requires your consent, at the time of application submission, for a background check to be conducted by the Massachusetts Department of Children and Families (DCF) database. If there is a supported finding by DCF, you will be required to provide additional documentation related to those findings.

What is GMC?

GMC is defined for practical purposes as the ability to practice nursing in a safe and competent manner and without risk to the public health, safety or welfare. Because it is not scientifically determinable, the Board uses evidence of past and present conduct as described below to assess GMC. Licensed nurses are required by law and regulation to be of Good Moral Character.

You must submit documentation as required to the Board of all available pertinent information regarding past and present conduct and disciplinary and/or criminal history. Additional information is available at: https://www.mass.gov/service-details/good-moral-character-requirements-for-nursing-licensure (Massachusetts Board of Registration in Nursing, 2023).