SNOM members voted at our Annual Meeting last October, 2006 to become a Unified Affiliate with the National Association of School Nurses (NASN). This means that when you become a member of our state organization, you are also becoming a member of our national organization. Our organization believes that unification with NASN will greatly add to the benefits that we currently provide to our SNOM members.

The unification process with NASN is now complete. You can now join SNOM and NASN by clicking on this link and printing out the MN Application to mail or you can join online with a credit card. A membership dues table can be downloaded here.

SNOM members who are current NASN members may renew their memberships at the time their NASN membership is due.

SNOM members can still access a real-time updated version of the SNOM Membership Directory online at any time.

Membership Benefits include the following:

• Discounted member rates for the annual SNOM Fall Conference, annual NASN conference, and other SNOM and NASN sponsored workshops and NASN online learning modules.  Please see the Coming Events page.

• Don't miss a single issue of the SNOMemo with important information influencing school nursing practice.  There are 3 - 4 big issues planned for the coming year that are sent to you electronically if you provide an e-mail address.  In addition, you will receive 6 issues each of the Journal of School Nursing and NASN Newsletter that will be mailed to you.  You won't want to miss out on the latest research for evidence-based practice, up-to-date information on current issues affecting school nursing and the latest resources available.

• SNOM membership entitles you to exclusive access to the SNOM List Serve which is an electronic discussion list dedicated to information exchange and networking for SNOM colleagues.  As a member of NASN, you will also have the opportunity to join one of 9 NASN Discussion/Listserves in the following areas: Nursing Languages and Information Technology, Legislative Issues, School Nurse Administrators, Early Childhood School Nurses, School Nursse Educators, Elementary School Nurses, High School Nurses, Private and Parochial School Nurses, and Special Needs School Nurses.

When members provide their e-mail addresses on their new membership forms, they will be invited to join SNOM@minnesotaschoolnurses.org.  The e-mail provider will send instructions for confirming subscriptions at that time.  Requiring members to confirm subscriptions maintains the privacy of the members' e-mail addresses.  Confidentiality of e-mail addresses is a prime concern of the School Nurse Organization of Minnesota.

All SNOM Listserve messages are stored in a searchable archive.  Members using the archive free up their e-mail inbox and save e-mail downloading time.  To access the archive, subscribers may go to the SNOM archives, or go directly to the search archives page.  Use the new membership directory login in order to login.  You can view step by step demonstrations for how to login and how to search the listserv archives (Macromedia Flash Player is required to view correctly).

Current SNOM members can join the SNOM Listserve by e-mailing Lillian Levine, Membership Chair at: lillev@stfrancis.k12.mn.us.  Upon confirmation of your SNOM membership you will have access to the Listserve.  Existing listserv members can make changes to their current listserv settings (including how to change the subscribed email address or temporarily disable mail delivery).  For more information about changing your listserv settings, please view the demonstration tutorial.

• SNOM celebrates the talents school nurses and other professionals contribute to school health. The purpose of the SNOM Annual Awards and Recognition is to recognize individuals and groups who have made outstanding, timely and enduring contributions to school nursing. Click on Celebrate School Nursing to see descriptions of the annual awards SNOM supports and the procedure to follow for nomination. The SNOM Board of Directors Call for Nominations outlines the nomination process and gives a list of Past Award Recipients. Please use this Nomination Form to recognize a colleague for excellence in school nursing, administration of school health services or participation in projects supporting the health and education of school children in the State of Minnesota and nationally.

• SNOM Advanced Practice/Training Scholarship - In 2003, as a part of the School Nurse Organization of Minnesota’s 100 Year Celebration of School Nursing in the United States, a nursing scholarship fund was established. The purpose of the scholarship is to support the advancement of school nursing practice in Minnesota by assisting Licensed School Nurses to further their education and professional development. For further details regarding the scholarship (application deadline is July 1), please consult the application.

• SNOM has a goal to advance school nursing knowledge and skills through professional development and research.  The organization also strives to disseminate research and best practice information that may be helpful to School Nurses in Minnesota.  In order to achieve these goals we are pleased to be able to offer the grant process and application School Nursing Research Grants.

• NASN Awards, Grants & Scholarships
  NASN supports school nursing practice through recognition awards, fellowships, research grants & awards, educational scholarships, legislative awards, new member conference scholarships, and member recruitment scholarship drawings. Learn more about these opportunities available to NASN member by visiting the Awards, Grants & Scholarships page on this site.

• Another great benefit of NASN membership is the opportunity to obtain vouchers for free eye exams and eye wear through the Vision Service Plan (VSP) Sight for Students Program. You can find out more information at www.sightforstudents.org.

• Most importantly, membership in SNOM is your Voice and insures lobbying efforts and member representation on many state task forces and committees that address issues directly affecting your school nursing practice.