Pennsylvania State Nurses Association
The Pennsylvania State Nurses Association (PSNA) is a constituent state association of the American Nurses Association (ANA). It is over 100 years old and the largest professional organization for Registered Nurses in the State of Pennsylvania.
The association is an advocate for nursing and nurses as well as patients. They impact decisions made by the state’s leaders and policy makers with regard to heath care by providing them with appropriate research and facts so that they can properly assess how their decisions impact the health care system and patients that it serves.
The organization states as their purpose:
“…to preserve and advance the identity, integrity and continuity of the profession of nursing, and to serve as the professional organization and the official voice for registered professional nurses in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania”
History of PSNA
The PA State Nurses Association was established in 1903 to support Pennsylvania’s nurses. For 23 years they operated without a headquarters, but in 1926 the organization established their first headquarters on Front Street in Harrisburg, PA.
The new headquarters attracted new members and the organization grew. They expanded their board of directors as a result and began documenting the duties of the various committees in a handbook for the organization. PSNA started publishing their Penn Points bulletin quarterly as well as working on History of Nursing in Pennsylvania.
Since then their headquarters moved from Front Street to Progress Avenue and they changed the name to Pennsylvania Nurses Association (PNA) which operated primarily as a nurses union for many years. In 1998, PNA members voted to split the organization into two separate organizations, resurrecting the PA State Nurses Association as a strictly professional nurses organization with no collective bargaining power.
The organization continues to evolve. They are moving away from referring to themselves as “PSNA” and instead will be referring to themselves now as PA Nurses.
Benefits of PSNA Membership
By joining Pennsylvania State Nurses Association, members enjoy many benefits:
- Free and discounted continuing education
- Access to members-only web site features
- Free Pennsylvania Nurse magazine and member newsletters
- Networking opportunities with nurses from around the state at all levels and in all areas of practice
- Leadership opportunities by serving on various committees and task forces
Nurses can choose whether they want to join PSNA only, PSNA and District, or full membership where they join both PSNA and American Nurses Association. Of course, if you choose full membership then you will enjoy the additional benefits of being a member of ANA.
Contact Information
The following information has been provided for those interested in joining PSNA or seeking to learn more about Pennsylvania’s largest nursing association:
Pennsylvania State Nurses Association
2578 Interstate Drive, Suite 101
Harrisburg, PA 17110
Phone: (717) 657-1222
FAX: (717) 657-3796
Hours: 8:30am – 4:30pm
