Catherine Booth Hospital School of Nursing was started in 1939. It was recognized by the Madras Government through the Nurses Auxiliary of the Christian Medical Association of India in 1939. The course conducted was 'lower grade' and a pass in third form was a sufficient educational qualification for admission.

In 1947, His Highness, the Maharajah of Travancore opened the first School of Nursing building. The government also raised the status of the school from lower to 'higher grade'. All teaching and examinations were conducted in English. Both men and women students were admitted enjoying equal status and opportunity.

The School of Nursing functions under the South India Examining Board of the Nurses' League of the Christian Medical Association of India. This Board is recognized by both the Madras Nurses and Midwives Council and the Indian Nursing Council. The Board requires the active co-operation of the staff of all its member schools in such tasks as the setting and conduct of examinations and the preparation of standard text-books. Lieut. Commissioner (Dr.) Harry Williams was for some years the President. The School of Nursing conducted a three year course in general nursing with obstetric and community nursing (Public Health) and a nine-month midwifery course for graduate nurses and a six-month post basic course in reconstructive surgical wards and operating theatres.

Candidates for selection must have passed the Secondary School Leaving Certificate at first attempt with sixty percent marks. Twenty five percent of the candidates selected (through examination and interview) have had some college education. The curriculum, which includes Physics, Chemistry, Psychology and Sociology, fully meet the requirements of the Indian Nursing Council and compare favourably with that offered in good basic Schools of Nursing in other parts of the world. Most of the candidates admitted are between seventeen and twenty one years of age. They come from a cross-section of society and all branches of the Christian Church as well as other religions. There are hundreds of applicants for the twenty four seats offered annually in the School of Nursing. The first class was started in June 1939 with a batch of eight students. The School is housed in a spacious beautiful building of its own, with large class rooms, office, staff rooms and library-cum-reading room, fully equipped and furnished in an area of nearly two acres. It has a full time Principal and three Sister Tutors. There is a close liason between the School and the hospital nursing service. The programme of class room instruction, ward duties and other duties and other aspects of theoretical and practical training of the student-nurses is carefully drawn up to give the maximum benefit to the trainees. Sister Tutors when not on teaching assignment in the school supervise the work of the students in the wards.

The training of nurses at the School of Nursing is controlled by the Government of Tamil Nadu since 1983. All efforts are made to maintain the standard of training. The training period is only three years. During the first three months of the first years, the students are taught inside the school and they are sent 'Probationary Training Students Examination'. At the end of every year students undergo the Board examination. They are taught subjects like first aid, psychology, ward procedures, nursing arts, medical, surgical, orthopedics, psychiatry and pediatrics. Every year it produces about twenty five qualified 'Nightingales' with high hopes of a bright future.

As part of the Nursing School's programme of training for its students, the hospital has extended its health services to rural areas. It consists of a weekly visit to the Primary Health Centre at Chemponvilai by the Public Health Tutor and student nurses, to attend the clinics, to visit homes and help in carrying out programmes of immunization (D.P.T., T.T. and OPV), to pay a visit to sub-centres and to help in the implementation of school health schemes, one mile radius visits etc., formulated by the hospital.

The nursing services had been separated from the nursing studies. Nursing Superintendent is responsible for the nursing service. Principal is responsible for nursing education.