The Student Nurses Association (SNA) is an associate organization of The Trained Nurses Association of India and is a nation-wide organization. It was established in 1929 at the time of the Annual Conference of the Trained Nurses’ Association of India (TNAI). Each nursing institute has its own S.N.A. unit. It is remarkable that the growth of SNA Units has been persistent ever since its inception.
The SNA and TNAI used to have combined Annual Conference, but due to the increase in the number of delegates, it was felt in 1960 to hold separate Conferences for the student Nurses. Since 1961 the student Nurses are having separate Biennial Conferences. These are held alternately with TNAI Conferences.
The students are being given more and more responsibility to manage their affairs both at the State and National levels.
The General Committee consists of the President of TNAI, Vice president, Treasurer of TNAI, SNA Advisor, Secretaries of SNA State Branches, Secretary-General, TNAI.
Membership is opened to all students’ nurses of basic programs: ANM. RGNM and Basic B.Sc. Nursing students through a unit.
On completion of their training students are eligible for full membership in TNAI.
The objectives of S.N.A are:
- To help students to uphold the dignity and ideals of the profession for which they are qualifying.
- To promote a corporate spirit among students for common good.
- To furnish Nurses in training with advice in their courses of study leading up to professional qualification.
- To encourage leadership ability and help students to gain a wide knowledge of the Nursing profession in its different branches and aspects.
- To increase the student’s social contacts and general knowledge in order to help them take their place in the world when they have finished their training.
- To encourage both professional and recreational meetings games and sports.
- To provide a special section in The Nursing Journal of India for the benefit of students.
- To encourage students to compete for prizes in the various competitions and also to attend national and regional conferences.
A wide variety of activities are encouraged at all levels for the SNA members and this is done in view the objectives of the Association for which it was formed. The diversity of activities is derived from the professional, social, cultural and recreational spheres. The activities are geared to strengthen curricular and co- curricular components.
The activities are:
- Organization of meetings and conferences. The first one-day SNA conference was held in 1951 and the first Biennial SNA conference was held at Nagpur in 1961. It is one of the important activities which provides a forum for the members to discuss and find solutions for various problems faced by the students.
- Maintainance Of SNA Diary: It was instituted in 1939. This is a biennial record book drawn up for the use of the unit secretaries to record all unit activities – professional, educational, social-cultural, and recreational activities. These dairies are assessed by the state SNA advisors and two best are sent to National SNA advisor for evaluation and award.
- Exhibition is one of the oldest, useful and very popular activities of the Association. The students prepare posters on the subjects taught to them. The best one from the state under each section is entertained at the national level.
- To increase self-confidence in the students and help them gain skills in communication the association arranges debates, panel discussions seminars, The students are encouraged to write on professional topics for The Nursing Journal of India.
- The students undertake community projects – health surveys, school health projects, medical camps, etc.
- To acquaint the general public with the Nursing profession, a general public is invited to the celebrations and festivals.
- Fundraising is an important and necessary activity. The fundraising is done at all levels.
- Socio-cultural and recreational activities like dance, dramatics, and music, sport competitions are carried out to bring about overall development in the students.
- In addition to aforesaid activities, there are numerous other activities which are carried out by the units and students are awarded for their both scholastic and talent performances.
The students are encouraged to arrange their own extracurricular activities and thus to accept leadership roles.