Interview with Mary Stella Simpson, October 30, 1993

Interview Summary

The interview is about Sister Simpson's career and development from a nurse to a nurse midwife from 1931 to ca. 1974, having grown up in rural Arkansas. Her career proceeded in four stages. First, in 1931, she was training to be a nurse. Changes in the requirements for getting a degree from the schools of nursing caused her to switch to the Benedictine St. Bernard Hospital in Jonesboro. 1932-1934, she worked as Registered Nurse (RN) back in Arkansas. Second, from 1935-1957, she managed OB in DePauw Hospital in St. Louis; Chicago, IL; and Los Angeles, CA; focusing on health care problems and efficiency. Third, in 1957, she started training as a nurse midwife, at a time when ACNM-American College of Nurse Midwives became interested in defining the nurse midwife-physician and patient-nurse midwife relationships and was developing nurse midwifery clinics and a "family centered health care program" as part of health care reform. In 1958, she transferred to St. Mary's Hospital in Evansville, IN, where the new ideas were introduced over the 15 years following. From 1958-1963, her functions included presentations at workshops and education, but not practicing. Lastly, 1964-ca. 1974, Sister Simpson spent raising the awareness for "Frontier Nursing" by teaching health care to and caring for the rural populations of America. She moved to El Carmine, TX, and, in 1967, to Jackson, MS, where funds were available for a nurse aid, Irene Williams. The last years she spent in Birmingham, AL, and Walls, MS.

Interview LC Subject

Childbirth Maternal health services Midwifery Midwives Nursing--Study and teaching Simpson, Mary Stella Simpson, Mary Stella--Interviews

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Interview Usage

Interviews may be reproduced with permission from Louie B. Nunn Center for Oral History, Special Collections, University of Kentucky Libraries.