About the Organization

History of the Arizona State Board of Nursing
(Connie Connell M.S., R.N. and Cathy Coughlin BSN., R.N.)

The Arizona State Board of Nursing as we know it today, would be a total revelation for the early pioneers from the State Nurse's Association, who worked diligently for many years to bring forth regulation in the state of Arizona. Because of the futuristic thinking and persistence of those nurses, standards were started which affect all nurses in our state today.

On June 9, 1921, House Bill 32, which mandated registration of all professional nurses in Arizona, became law and five registered nurses were appointed by Governor Campbell as Board members from a list prepared by the State Nurse's Association. These five women were dedicated professionals to whom we owe a debt of gratitude. They held their first meeting in the Governors office on June 14, 1921 and the Secretary of the Board became the person responsible to become the "Inspector" of all Schools of Nursing in the state. Because the Board had no money, the ASNA Board of Directors voted to assess each member $2.00 to defray expenses for the initial equipment such as a typewriter! The first recorded inspection of schools occurred in 1924, when schools at St. Joseph's Hospital, Phoenix (started in 1910), St. Mary's Hospital, Tucson (started in 1914), and Arizona Deaconess, Phoenix (started in 1920) were visited to assure that standards were met. The total number of graduates from all programs was listed as 26 during that year. Early examinations were constructed by Board members and if you remember taking an exam on "Materia Medica" you have already dated yourself.

Another milestone occurred in 1952 when the nurse practice act was rewritten to include the qualifications of Board members and the requirement to test Practical Nurses in Arizona.