This is the second in a series of articles from the Colorado Nurses Foundation honoring the legacy of nursing leaders who have defied racism and paved the way for underrepresented nurses. In this issue, we honor Dr. Ildaura Murillo-Rohde. Her vision was for Latino and Hispanic nurses to pursue their education to help themselves and to serve their communities.
Dr. Murillo-Rohde was born in Panama and came to the United States in 1945. She began her career in San Antonio, Texas. She soon realized that there were very few nurses who could understand the language and culture of their Hispanic patients. She was motivated to earn Bachelor’s, Master’s and Doctoral degrees. She was the first Hispanic nurse to receive a PhD from New York University and the first Hispanic Dean of Nursing at State University of New York.
Much of Dr. Murillo-Rohde’s career was spent advocating for Hispanic and Latino nurses. When she felt that the American Nurses Association was not meeting the needs of Hispanic nurses, she became a primary driver in the formation of the National Association of Spanish-Speaking, Spanish-Surnamed Nurses (NASSSN) in 1975. In 1979, NASSSN became the National Association of Hispanic Nurses (NAHN). NAHN is committed to advancing health in Hispanic communities and to leading, promoting and advocating for educational, professional, and leadership opportunities for Hispanic nurses.
As a psychiatric nurse, Dr. Murillo-Rohde focused on cultural awareness in nursing, stressing the recognition of “a culture within a culture” and the importance of knowing each culture well to provide optimum care. She served as a World Health Organization consultant to Taiwan and was a United Nations representative to UNICEF. She was named a Living Legend of the American Academy of Nursing in 1994. Dr. Murillo-Rohde died in 2010, just one day before her 90th birthday.
About 7.4% of Registered Nurses and Licensed Practical Nurses in the United States identify themselves as Hispanic or Latino. As their numbers grow, their impact on the field of nursing increases. We are grateful for the legendary nurse leaders such as Dr. Ildaura Murillo-Rohde for this rich heritage. The Colorado Nurses Foundation is proud to provide scholarship funding to the National Association of Hispanic Nurses, Denver Chapter, as a part of our Nurse License Plate Program. Go to coloradonursesfoundation.com to learn more about how you can support scholarships for underrepresented nurses in Colorado.
This is the second in a series of articles from the Colorado Nurses Foundation honoring the legacy of nursing leaders who have defied racism and paved the way for underrepresented nurses. In this issue, we honor Dr. Ildaura Murillo-Rohde. Her vision was for Latino and Hispanic nurses to pursue their education to help themselves and to serve their communities.
Dr. Murillo-Rohde was born in Panama and came to the United States in 1945. She began her career in San Antonio, Texas. She soon realized that there were very few nurses who could understand the language and culture of their Hispanic patients. She was motivated to earn Bachelor’s, Master’s and Doctoral degrees. She was the first Hispanic nurse to receive a PhD from New York University and the first Hispanic Dean of Nursing at State University of New York.
Much of Dr. Murillo-Rohde’s career was spent advocating for Hispanic and Latino nurses. When she felt that the American Nurses Association was not meeting the needs of Hispanic nurses, she became a primary driver in the formation of the National Association of Spanish-Speaking, Spanish-Surnamed Nurses (NASSSN) in 1975. In 1979, NASSSN became the National Association of Hispanic Nurses (NAHN). NAHN is committed to advancing health in Hispanic communities and to leading, promoting and advocating for educational, professional, and leadership opportunities for Hispanic nurses.
As a psychiatric nurse, Dr. Murillo-Rohde focused on cultural awareness in nursing, stressing the recognition of “a culture within a culture” and the importance of knowing each culture well to provide optimum care. She served as a World Health Organization consultant to Taiwan and was a United Nations representative to UNICEF. She was named a Living Legend of the American Academy of Nursing in 1994. Dr. Murillo-Rohde died in 2010, just one day before her 90th birthday.
About 7.4% of Registered Nurses and Licensed Practical Nurses in the United States identify themselves as Hispanic or Latino. As their numbers grow, their impact on the field of nursing increases. We are grateful for the legendary nurse leaders such as Dr. Ildaura Murillo-Rohde for this rich heritage. The Colorado Nurses Foundation is proud to provide scholarship funding to the National Association of Hispanic Nurses, Denver Chapter, as a part of our Nurse License Plate Program. Go to coloradonursesfoundation.com to learn more about how you can support scholarships for underrepresented nurses in Colorado.
