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Attachment B.doc

The Mississippi Nurses' Association is accredited as a Provider of Continuing Nursing Education by the American Nurses Credentialing Center's Commission on Accreditation.

Every six years the Mississippi Nurses' Association submits a self-study to the American Nurses Credentialing Center's (ANCC) Commission on Accreditation using the criteria developed by the ANCC. The MNA was last awarded its Provider status in May, 2002.

For Approval Information, please click on the Foundation link.

PHILOSOPHY It is the philosophy of the Provider Unit that:

1. Nursing is the diagnosis and treatment of human responses to actual or potential health problems;
2. A higher level of health care delivery can be attained by fostering high standards of nursing practice and by promoting the professional and educational advancement of registered nurses;
3. The process of nursing contributes to the promotion and improvement of health care when nurses maintain their competency and personal growth in the discipline;
4. Continuing education is the professional and ethical responsibility of nurses because of the vital service provided to mankind; and
5. The professional association can assist the professional nurse in maintaining competence by providing relevant continuing educational programs that meet accepted standards.

PURPOSE The Provider Unit exists to offer quality continuing education endeavors for registered nurses in Mississippi to assist in maintaining a high level of professional competency, thereby promoting better health care in the state. The Provider Unit is considered a service unit that assists in providing a mechanism of offering continuing education in a timely manner, and is a positive image-producing unit of the state association.

OVERALL GOALS The goals of the Provider Unit are to:

1. Maintain an accredited system for continuing education in nursing.
2. Coordinate all state nurse association – continuing nursing education activities to ensure compliance with ANCC criteria.
3. Assist in maintaining a high level of professional competency by offering quality continuing education activities for registered nurses in Mississippi.
4. Identify needs of Mississippi nurses.
5. Meet the diverse learning needs of Mississippi nurses by offering educational activities across a variety of topics at both basic and advanced practice levels.
6. Provide continuing education through activities at local, district and state levels.

The Executive Director is the Administrator of the Provider Unit. Provider Unit members are:

Marilyn Ellis - Director, Council on Nursing Education
Lisa Byrd
Peggy Church
Mary Helen Conner
Jan Cooper
Rowena Elliott
Bonnie Harbaugh
Lisa Haynie
Cynthia Helwig
Barbara Higgins
Robin Hoover
Charlotte Lafferty
Bettye Logan
Deborah Mauffray
LaDonna Northington
Ginny Smith

Process: MNA Districts, Councils, Committees and Special Interest Groups submit a Continuing Education Data Sheet and attachments to the MNA office for review by a Provider Unit Nurse Planner. The Data Sheet and attachments must be submitted at least two weeks prior to the date of the activity. There is no cost for submission of a CE Data Sheet. Non-members receiving an attendance verification form at a SIG or District continuing education activity must pay a $25.00 fee to MNA. For more information regarding the Guidelines for Completing a CE Data Sheet contact MNA at 601-898-0670.