They teach CPR, and they haven't graduated

Jen Morrison, a senior in the School of Nursing, has gotten great career advice at Penn - from her peers.

When she was a freshman and needed help choosing classes and buying books, these nurses were there with advice. When she became a junior and needed to get CPR-certified, they were once again there to help. They even helped her get work at the UCLA medical center this past summer.

From coordinating CPR classes to organizing blood drives to promoting safe sex on National Condom Day, Student Nurses at Penn - known as SNAP - seem to always have their hands full with projects for the school's students.

This year is no different.

Members of SNAP are already hard at work, having held a blood drive last week and spent hours on Locust Walk promoting student awareness on suicide prevention.

And while SNAP is a club run by students, it takes on official responsibilities within the school.

"We do a lot of things-, including background checks, immunization for students, CPR classes and monthly educational tables," said SNAP President Kim Maciorowski. "Our main purpose is to serve the student body."

The umbrella organization for student groups in the Nursing School, SNAP is the local chapter of the Student Nurses Association of Pennsylvania and the National Student Nurses of America.

All students in the Nursing School are considered members of SNAP, though just a fraction of these are active members.

Members of SNAP participate in a variety of activities to inform students about a different health topic every month.

For October, SNAP members are planning to increase student awareness about breast cancer and to send a group to participate in the Philadelphia AIDS Walk on Oct. 15, according to Maciorowski, a senior.

Throughout the year, SNAP members coordinate campus blood drives, set students up with peer advisers and study groups, participate in community service and bring health care professionals to speak to students.

In addition to local events, SNAP also sends a group of students to state and national student nursing conventions, where "many of our members win scholarships every year," Maciorowski said.

"SNAP increases opportunities for nursing students to further their education and career," said Eden Koko, SNAP secretary and treasurer.

According to Nursing senior Susan Paul, the club helps students obtain externships - similar to internships, but focused on practical experience in a field of study.

"These are really a great group of student leaders," said Nursing professor Diane Spatz, who serves as the club's faculty adviser. "SNAP is a fabulous student organization, and we'd love to get more students involved."

Increasing SNAP's visibility and integrating it with other clubs is a goal for this year, according to Maciorowski.

"The Nursing School is often seen as a separate part of Penn, and we would like to see better integration across Spruce Street," Maciorowski said.If you need a bullet, copy and paste this paragraph:

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