The Mississippi Nurses' Association was founded in 1911 by a group of ten nurses at the Natchez Hospital in Natchez, Mississippi. The organization was then known as the Mississippi State Association of Graduate Nurses and was chaired by Ms. Jennie Quinn known as the first president of MNA. At the time nursing was not regulated by governmental policy. Nurses were trained on the job by physicians or other nurses and rarely had formal education. MNA became the voice for nursing during these times of professional evolution, particularly when it came time to lobby the legislature for critical nursing issues such as nursing licensure, training and education, the nursing shortage, and the public's image of the profession. As we are fast approaching 100 years of service to the nurses of Mississippi, MNA continues to serve as the voice of registered nurses in the state of Mississippi.

Voices From the Past

		Pre-Civil War.	Communicable diseases were a part of Mississippi life. Men and women took care of the sick, especially during epidemics.
		Civil War .  .  .	Southern women were free to move out of their homes during war to nurse the sick but had to return after the war.
		1911 .  .  .  .  .	The Mississippi State Association of Graduate Nurses was formed at Natchez to improve the care of the sick.
		1914 .  .  .  .  .	The first licensing act was passed to establish legal accountability to Mississippians for nursing care.
		1915 .  .  .  .  .	An increase in TB created opportunities for the first public health nurses to practice in Mississippi.
		World War I .	Mississippi nurses were active with Red Cross community endeavors, providing the impetus for professional nursing in the state.
		1900-1920.  .	The number of nursing training schools grew to 37; students became expensive labor.
		1920 .  .  .  .  .	Pupil nurses ran the hospitals.
		1922 .  .  .  .  .	The first manual for midwives was published.
		1925 .  .  .  .  .	The first Nurses Registry was established to provide private duty services to Mississippians.
		1926 .  .  .  .  .	The first black public health nurse was employed.
		1929 .  .  .  .  .	Depression schools grew to 46 in number. Students continued to be primary caregivers.
		1930's .  .  .  .	Nurse licensing law was updated.
		1932 .  .  .  .  .	A high school diploma was first required for admission to nursing programs.
		1932 .  .  .  .  .	A revised Nursing Practice Act was passed by the Mississippi Legislature. Standards were established.
		1947 .  .  .  .  .	Cadet nurses began training in public health and polio care.
		1948 .  .  .  .  .	The first baccalaureate degree program was established at the University of Mississippi in Oxford.
		1950 .  .  .  .  .	Nurses directed a congenital syphilis study in Washington and Sunflower Counties.
		1957 .  .  .  .  .	The first associate degree program was established at Northeast Mississippi Junior College, Booneville.
		1969 .  .  .  .  .	Home health services began in Mississippi.
		1969 .  .  .  .  .	Medicaid established the EPSDT program.
		1971 .  .  .  .  .	The first master's degree program was established at the University Medical Center in Jackson.
		1975 .  .  .  .  .	The WIC program began.
		1989 .  .  .  .  .	HIV became a reportable disease
		1998 .  .  .  .  .	Doctoral nursing education began with collaborative Ph.D. program at the University of Mississippi and the University of Southern Mississippi.