Milford chronicle., 1963-04-05
Your Hospital
by YOUR HOSPITAL REPORTER

Nur sing is prOfeSS1Onal organ
tzation to which only registered
nurses may belong. This is mis-
conception; any resident of the
state of Delaware who is interest,"
ed In nursing may apply for
membership.
The DIN Delaware League for
Nur sing) is a state branch of
the National League for Nurs-
ing. When an individual joins the
DIN, he automatically becomes
a member of the MIN. There
are two types of memberships:
individual and agency. Individual
members include professional
and practical nurses, nurse
aides, physicians, educators, and
lay citizens interested In the
health of the community. Agency
membership is open to such
groups as institutions as hos
pttals, public health units,
schools of nursing, and nursing
homes. Not all states have state
organizations through which one
may join the MIN. However, II
an individual from one of these
states wishes, he may Join the
National Organization directly.
At present, there are roughly
about 1900 individual MEM
bers and 1900 agency members In
the MIN.
The National League for Nurs-
Ing is a new organization having
been formed In 1852. However
since 1t came into existence by
merging seven organizations and
committees which had been In
existence for some time Zone was
organized In 1899, its major
programs Of study and service
were already functioning.
What are some of the Leagues
programs? What does the League
do? Most of its programs are
related to Improvement of pa
tient care and nur sing education.
The League has an advisory serv-
Ice for the Improvement of care
OF the mentally Ill and for the
educational preparation of nurses
who care for the mentally ILL.
It has an advisory service which
is concerned with all aspects Of
tuberculosis. It conducts re-
search studies in nursing edu-
cation and In patient care. It
offers workshops, Institutes, and
conferences to its members on
a variet of topicsrelating to COM
munity health and nursing ed
ucation. It offers e testing serv-
Ice to schools of nursing. These
tests, prepared and graded by
the League, measure the stu
dents proficiency and knowledge
in several areas. It offers pre-
pared tests for screening appli-
cants to schools of professional
and practical nur sing. It offers
achievement tests to practical
nurse students and &c psychia-
trio aides and attendants. 1t pre-
pareS and grades the State Board
Test Pool Examinations which
every professional and practical
nurse must pass before being
granted a license to practice.
If offers a test for graduate
nurses wishing to enroll In a
college or university for higher
education. This test is used In
two ways: to determine how much
college credit the applicant is to
be given for her nursing educa-
tion and to determine in which
areas the applicant needs more
knowledge. Finally, 1t gives ma
tional accreditation (approvaD to
schools of professional nur sing.
Each year the League publishes
a list of nationally accredited
schools of professional nursing.
Membership In the MIN en-
titles the individual to vote In
the national election Of officers
for the candidate of his choice.
Elections are held every two
years and only the President and
1st Vice President must be pro-
feSsional nurses. Ballots are
mailed to individual members
who In turn mail them to the
National Office where they are
tabulated by accountants.
The cost Of membership in the
Delaware League for Nursing
is ten dollars per year. Half
Of this is sent In for dues to the
MIN and half is retained by
the Delaware League. Members
may attend any of the general
sessions, meetings, conventions,
and Institutes or workshops
without paying the fee required
of non- members.
The Delaware League is con-
Quoting a halliday workshop In
May on the subject of teenagers.
In June there will be a panel
discussion meeting on education
at the University of Delaware.
The panel members will include
professor of education, a pro-
fessor of mathematics, nurs-
ing educator In maternal and
child health, and nursing educa-
tor In pSychtatric nursing. Non-
members may attend by paying
the admittance fee which will be
approximately two dollars. The
National Convention will be held
In Atlantic City, New Jersey,
from May 1917. Other meetings
are being planned for the fall
season.
The quality of nursing educa-
tion affects the quality of nurs-
tnor - 49, A.