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UNIT 3 STUDENT WELFARE SERVICES

Structure
3.0 Objectives
3.1 Introduction
3.2 Student Health Service
3.2.1 Objectives
3.2.2 Golden Rules of Physical and Mental Health
3.2.3 Health Assessment Programme
3.2.4 Health Care Facilities
3.2.5 Health Record
3.3 Student Guidance and Counseling Services
3.3.1 Definition of Guidance and Counseling
3.3.2 Objectives of Guidance and Counseling
3.3.3 N e d for Counseling
3.3.4 Teachers' Role in Student Guidance and Counseling
3.4 Student Nurses Association (SNA)
3.4.1 Need for SNA
3.4.2 Meaning
3.4.3 History
3.4.4 Objectives
3.4.5 Student Council
3.5 Let Us Sum Up
3.6 Answers to Check'Your Progress

3.0
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OBJECTIVES
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After studying this unit, you should be able to:

enumerate the golden rules for promoting physical and mental health;
state the various health services provided to students;
ensure the annual medical examination of the students;
define the guidance and counseling;
formulate the objectives of guidance and counseling programme;
recognize the need for counseling for the students;
promote student's welfare;
develop ability in organizational technique and committee procedure; and
initiate and support the student for social, cultural and professional activities.

3.1 INTRODUCTION
Student welfare is an integral part of the total programme and is of vital importance. It covers
the physical and mental well being of the students. Such needs of the students are partly
met by facilities provided in hostel and partly through an active and adequate student
health, guidance and counseling service and opportunities for recreational and f o ~ cultural
and religious activities.
Administration of In the following sections of this unit, we are going to discuss about the student health
Educational Institute services, student guidance and counseling and student nurses organization/association. Let
us now proceed with the student health services to be made available in a school of
Nursing.

3.2 STUDENT HEALTH SERVICE

Health programme in school of nursing may be extensive or limited. Regardless to this
provision is made for reporting illnesses and maintaining the health of students. Routine
physical examination serves as an asset to the students as it helps them to perform their
duties efficiently and to obviate any risk to which they might be exposed or to which they
might expose others.

3.2.1 Objectives
The main objectives of the student health programme are to help students to:
promote good health habits.
maintain good health.
prevent and control the diseases by early detection and treatment.
prevent themselves from certain infectious diseases by taking the protective
inoculations.
maintain students' health cards.

3.2.2 Golden Rules of Physical and Mental Health

i) Six Golden Rules of MaintainingPhysical Health
Adequate rest and sleep.
Positive attitude towards exercise and daily activities.
Well-balanced food habit.
Adequate fluid intake and regularity in elimination.
Personal hygiene in general (Necessary feminine hygiene during menstrual period).
Good body posture.
ii) Six Golden Rulesof Maintaining Mental Health
Respect yourself and others.
Organize and plan your day-to-day activities.
Permit your mind to control your entire "self'
Realize that life is a series of ups and downs.
Accepts correction, rules and new ideas with an open mind.
Develops your strong points and minimize your weak ones in an intelligent manner.

3.2.3 Health Assessment Programme

Schedule of health assessment
Medical examination on admission
Annual medical examination
Health assessment during illness
i) Medical Examination
Thorough medical examination of the students is done within a week (as per the policies of
the institution), which consist of:
Recording of medical history
Complete physical examination by the
.-various specialists such as Medical, Surgical,
 Recording of height and weight Student Welfare Services

Testing of urine and stool for routine examination

Testing of blood for TLC, DLC, HB% and blood grouping
X-ray chest
Immunization against TAB, Tetanus and Hepatitis
ii) Annual Examination
Annual examination should be canied towards the end of each school year on the same
lines of medical examination on admission. The physical examination is done by medical
specialist instead of various specialists. In case a student requires, refer to a specialist
during the year. The student's health record should be kept up to date with respect to illness
as well as treatment and protective immunization. Health records and weight charts should
be check by the physician.
iii) Health assessmenY'medica1examination during illness
During illness medical examination to be done by specialist to detect any abnormalities.

3.2.4 Health Care Facilities

The health care facilities in a school of nursing should include following facilities.

Students health clinic could be according to the policy of institution (may be staff clinic or
separate students clinic with all facilities).
ii) Sick Room For Students
There should be arrangement for those students who fall sick. This arrangement may vary
from school to school. The main purpose of having sick room in the hostel is where a
student can be observed during her brief illness when hospitalization is not must. The
Public Health TutorIThe Home SisterIWarden of the hostel is responsible for looking after
these students during their minor ailment.

3.2.5 Health Record

The student's health record should be cumulative one and should contain summary of
complete record of the student's health for the entire period of her training. It would
be ideal and essential to have the provision of monthly health records of the
students in order for early and detection taking correct measure to address any
health problems.
The health programme in school of nursing may be extensive or limited regardless of the
i plan there should be provision of reporting illness and maintain the health of students.
Annual medical examination act as an asset to the students as the students are
exposed to patients in the wards suffering from various illnesses. Maintenance of
health record is essential for proper diagnosis and treatment on any significant
).
deviation from the normal.
rn . . *

35
Administration o f
Educational Institute

3.3 STUDENT GUIDANCE AND COUNSELING

SERVICES
Guidance is a universal function which is practiced in all walks of life and institutions such
as home, educational institutions, business houses, governmental offices and
hospitals and so on. It is necessary wherever there are people who need help and people
who can help. Guidance involves helping the individual to solve problem that arises in his
life but does not solve problem for him. Through guidance students are assisted to discover
their own ability to solve their own problems. It involves helping the students to adjust
better to a required pattern.
Guidance is the assistance given to individual in making intelligent choices and
adjustments. The ability to make choices is not inherent and not every bodies cup of tea.
Hence, it must be developed in each individual. Through guidance and counseling
programme the students are assisted to understand their academic potentialities, abilities,
and limitations. Guidance and counseling is the assistance made available to the students
by personnel qualified and skilled counselor.

3.3.1 Definition of Guidance and Counseling

Guidance and counseling is assistance made available to an individual 1 group of students
to help him I them to manage his own life activities and problem, develop his own point of
view, make his own decision in identifying the solution to his problem with the assistance of
qualified and adequately trained personnel.

3.3.2 Objectives of Guidance and Counseling

To help the students to:
adjust to group living and educational programme
meet or solve his problem
make his own decision
discover and understand their academic potentialities, abilities and limitations
develop the ability of self guidance.

3.3.3 Need for Counseling

The students enter the nursing profession in their adolescence, when they need constant
guidance to develop a healthy philosophy of life and a positive attitude towards their
profession. Apart from usual problem of change in environment, teacher student relation,
examination, financial security and so on faced by any students. In times of crises or
difficulties the students usually turn to God and prayer or look for guidance and counseling
from their 6-iends or parents. Yet there are occasions when the students turns to their
teachers for the solution of nursing problem as a result of dissatisfaction due to change
situations. The student may wish to discuss or require assistance as the difficulties may
arise from number of sources ranging from adjustment to personal dilemmas as follows:
a Adjustment to a group living
a Educational programme
 Professional responsibilities Student Welfare Services

To any personal emotional, health and psychological problems.

These problems create fear in the mind of the students. Fear is de*structive and drains away
all the energy that may be utilized in creative learning. Moreover, education tries to bring
about growth and development with in the individual. To help the students to cope up with
these changes the service of counselor is indispensable. Hence there is need for the
organized guidance program by the qualified trained counselor. A qualified counselor on
the staff would be ideal and should function as the director while the tutor shall function in

1
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$16~4, coordination with the counselor. In todays scenario the task is broaden to include the
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.la, guidance and counseling in educational, emotional, psychology, health and social
,,. adjustment.
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3.3.4 Teachers' Role in Student Guidance and Counseling
Where there is no formal counseling programme in the school of nursing. here the teachers
have a responsibility to assume the role of counselor. Teaching is not only imparting
information but also they have sincere role' as a adviser in assisting the students to cany
out the various school activities and lending a willing ear to those whadesire someone to
listen to their difficulties.
Each tutor may act as an adviser to certain number of students. They should understand
their personal motives and help them to formulate realistic goals for themselves by holding
individual conferences with them at regular intervals. These conferences should assist the
students to recognize their own problems and to handle the frustrating situation by
identiwing solutions to the problems.
Committees can be formed and each teacher is made responsible tb act as an advisor.
Students are free to go to the advisor and consult them or they can go through the
committee. Every teacher should be willing to deal with the problem creatively and help them
to have a sense of belonging and satisfaction.
Since the school of nursing provides hostel facilities to the students which is a home away
from home. The students who live away from home go through lots of stress and strains
ranging from personal problem to educational and professional responsibilities, which needs
Administration of
Educational Institute 3.4 STUDENT NURSES ASSOCIATION (SNA)
The involvement of the students as an organized group is an important factor in the
administration of the school of nursing and meeting the objectives of the educational
programme. This is achieved by the formation of the Student Government.

3.4.1 Need for SNA

The student organization is an essential for the development of the leadership qualities and
professional growth in the students and it helps to maintain a sprit of cooperation and
mutual help among the members. Moreover it provides better opportunity for self-directed
work.

3.4.2 Meaning
The Student Nurse's Association is a Nation wide organization of Nursing Students in
India. It is an associate Organization of Trained Nurses Association of India. SNA is a
sister association of from Parent association TNAI.

3.4.3 History
The Student Nurse's Association was formed in 1929 at the time of the annual conference of
TNAI. The Nursing Superintendent of the General hospital Madras, Miss. L N James was
the first honorary Organizing Secretary. It started with one unit at the Government General
Hospital Madras followed by Christian Rainy Hospital Madras, and the Presidency General
Hospital Calcutta. So far it has about members 30,000 from all the states and Union
territories. In 1947 full time Secretary was appointed.

3.4.4 Objectives
To help the students to uphold the dignity and ideals of the professions for which
they are qualifyiqg.
To promote a corporate spirit among common goal.
To furnish nurses with advice in their training and course of study leading up to
professional qualifications.
To encourage leadership ability and to help students to gain a wide knowledge of the
nursing profession in all its different branches and aspects.
To increase the students social contact and general knowledge in order to help them
their place when they have finished their training.
To encourage both professional and recreational meetings, games and sports.
To provide a special section in nursing journal of India for the benefit of students.
To encourage students to compete for prizes in the student nurses exhibition and to
attend national and regional conference.

3.4.5 Student Council

The student council, which would be an executive organ of the Students association and
will function as the officially recognised organization of students. It should be composed of
two or more elective members from each class. It should have president, vice president and
secretary and should maintain accurate records of all its meetings.

LET US SUM UP
In this unit, we have discussed about the various student welfare services to be considered
while running a school of nursing in order to ensure not only academic development of the
nursing students but also to facilitate developing their physical, mental health, social health
and leadership qualities.
 Student Welfare Services
ANSWERS TO CHECK YOUR PROGRESS
Check Your Progress 1
1) Adequate rest and sleep
Positive attitude towards exercise and daily activities
Well balanced food habit
Adequate fluid intake and regularity in elimination
Personal hygiene in general (Necessary feminine hygiene during menstrual
period)
Good body posture
2) a) ii
h) ill

c) i
d) iii
e) v
Check Your Progress 2
I Guidance and counseling is assistance made available to an individuallgroup of
studcnts to help himlthem to manage his own life activities and problem, develop his
own point of view, make his own decision in identifying the solution to his problem
with the assistance of qualified and adequately tiained personnel.
2) Adjust to group living and educational programme
Meet or solve his problem
3) The students enter the nursing profession in their adolesqence, when they need
constant guidance to develop a healthy philosophy of life and a positive attitude
towards their profession. Apart from usual problem of change in environment, teacher
student relation, examination, financial security and so on faced by any students. In
times of crises or difficulties the students usually turn to God and prayer or look for
guidance and counseling from their friends or parents. Yet there are occasions when
the students t~irnsto their teachers for the solution of nursing problem as a result of
dissatisfaction due to change situations.