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Dr. Ildaura Murillo-Rohde was a Panamanian American nurse who was dedicated to helping the Hispanic community. She was a pioneer in her field and made significant contributions to the nursing industry.
After moving to San Antonio, Texas in 1945, she noticed that there were very few Hispanic nurses working in the city. This inspired her to pursue a bachelor’s, master’s and doctorate degree in psychiatric mental health nursing at Columbia University and New York University.
Psychiatric Nurse
Nurses are the front line of the healthcare system and play a vital role in patient care. Their work can be life-changing, enabling people to heal and regain their strength and wellbeing.
A good nurse will be there for you 24/7, whether it’s to help you deal with a health problem or give you advice about your future. They can also be a huge support in your journey to get better, helping you overcome the obstacles that might prevent you from getting the care you need.
The Panamanian-American nursing pioneer Ildaura Murillo-Rohde built her career around her belief that nurses need to be culturally aware in order to provide the best possible care for their patients. She devoted her life to this goal, stressing that it was vital to improve the quality of healthcare for underrepresented populations while equipping others with the skills to do the same.
Ildaura Murillo-Rohde began her nursing career in San Antonio, Texas, where she noticed that the local community did not have many Latina nurses. She went on to pursue a Bachelor’s and Master’s degree in psychiatric mental health nursing at Columbia University, before earning a Doctorate from NYU.
In the 1970s, she took a position reviewing research and educational grants in Washington, D.C. She quickly noticed the same problems she’d seen in San Antonio and decided to make a change.
She eventually founded the National Association of Hispanic Nurses, a non-profit organization that promotes the interests of nurses who are Hispanic or Latino. She also consulted for the World Health Organization on a project in Guatemala, where she established a pilot program to train nurses.
As a leader in the field of psychiatric nursing, Murillo-Rohde made a significant impact on her field. She fought for the rights of nurses, and was also an advocate for women’s right to vote.
After she passed away, her legacy is still felt worldwide through her leadership and influence in the nursing community. She’s a living legend of the American Academy of Nursing, and her work has been recognized throughout her lifetime with many awards and honors.
Professor
Ildaura Murillo-Rohde was a highly decorated nurse, academic, and health policy advocate who championed the unique needs of Hispanic populations. A Panamanian American who emigrated to the United States in 1945, she earned her nursing diploma from the Medical and Surgical Hospital School of Nursing in San Antonio before earning a bachelor’s degree in psychiatric mental health nursing at Teachers College, Columbia University.
She went on to earn her master’s and doctoral degrees at New York University, where she was the first Hispanic nurse awarded a PhD in 1971. During her time at the University she conducted research on the relationship between Puerto Rican mother-son interpersonal compatibility and served as a reviewer of federal education and research grants in Washington, D.C.
Upon her return to Panama, she remained focused on educating Latinos and ensuring that they had access to quality health care. In order to achieve this goal, she helped organize the National Association of Hispanic Nurses (NAHN) in 1975.
In addition to her work with NAHN, she also established a scholarship and educational excellence award in her name. These awards are presented to NAHN members who have made exceptional contributions to nursing education, research, and practice.
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Her efforts to improve the health of Hispanic communities continue to this day, as her work has been celebrated by a Google Doodle on Sept. 15, 2021.
While there is no doubt that her work as a nurse was an important part of her life, she was equally concerned with the needs of her family. She was known to keep her husband and children away from the media spotlight, allowing them to focus on their own lives.
She also dedicated her life to the advancement of Hispanic nurses, and she did not rest until she had made a lasting difference. She was a pioneer in her field and was instrumental in helping to establish the National Association of Hispanic Nurses.
Ildaura Murillo-Rohde was an accomplished professional and earned one of the highest honors in nursing, a fellowship from the American Academy of Nursing. She held several faculty and research positions and was later appointed as a psychiatric consultant to the Guatemalan government, where she helped establish a pilot program for training personnel in psychiatric care. She was named a Living Legend by the American Academy of Nursing, and was appointed by New York City Mayor David Dinkins to a commission on quality of care at hospitals in that city.
Academic
Ildaura Murillo-Rohde is an academic who is well known for her achievements. She is an expert in psychiatric nursing and psychotherapy. She worked in the field for many years and became an important voice for nurses and the Hispanic community.
In 1975, she founded and served as the first president of the National Association of Hispanic Nurses (NAHN). She also promoted cultural awareness as a nurse, educator and faculty member. She is a living legend in the American nursing community.
Her legacy continues to this day, as the NAHN awards a scholarship and an educational excellence award in her honor. The organization also holds her birthday in a special way every year.
Initially, she earned her nursing diploma from the Medical and Surgical Hospital School of Nursing in 1948. She went on to earn a bachelor’s degree from Teachers College at Columbia University, and then a master’s degree in psychiatric nursing teaching and supervision from the same institution.
In 1971, she completed her doctorate from New York University. She began to notice a pattern in the work world: There were not enough Latina and Hispanic nurses in policy and research positions. She started to look for ways to change that.
After her graduation, she was assigned to a federal position reviewing research and educational grants. She stayed in that position for many years. Her experiences and knowledge of the American health care system helped her to become a better nurse and researcher.
From there, she began to advocate for better healthcare in the United States. She became active in local issues pertaining to nursing education, AIDS, cancer care, marriage and family therapy, and cultural diversity.
She was a leader in the Latina community and served as an ambassador for UNICEF. She was also a permanent representative for the International Federation of Business and Professional Women.
As an academic, Murillo-Rohde focused on the possibility of culture inside a culture and its influence on clinical supervision. She believed that a clinical supervisor should be knowledgeable about the specific culture of her patients in order to provide the best care possible.
Tennis Instructor
Ildaura Murillo-Rohde was a Panamanian nurse, teacher, academic, tennis instructor, and organizational executive. She founded the National Association of Hispanic Nurses and specialized in psychiatric nursing.
She emigrated to the United States in 1945, and settled in a largely Hispanic community in San Antonio, Texas. At the time, there were few Hispanic nurses in the area, so she made it her mission to recruit and train more.
Her work in the field of nursing helped her become a well-known figure internationally. She also served as a consultant for the World Health Organization and a representative to the government of Taiwan. She was also a member of the American Academy of Nursing and the International Federation of Business and Professional Women.
Born in Panama in 1920, she passed away in 2010 under the sign of Virgo. During her career, she worked for many different hospitals and clinics, including Bellevue Psychiatric Hospital in New York City, where she treated Puerto Rican soldiers who had suffered from the horrors of World War II.
After earning her diploma, she started her nursing career in San Antonio. She eventually went on to open Elmhurst General Hospital’s first psychiatric department in Queens.
During her career, she received a number of honors and awards. She was recognized as a Living Legend of the American Academy of Nursing and a founding member of the American Association of Hispanic Nurses.
Ildaura Murillo-Rohde most impactful work came in 1975, when she founded the National Association of Hispanic Nurses. She established the group after realizing that the demands of Latino nurses were not being met during her work for the American Nurse Association.
As a result of her efforts, the NAHN became one of the leading organizations for the education and training of nurses in the United States. In 1994, she was named a Living Legend by the American Academy of Nursing.
In addition to her career as a therapist and nursing professor, Murillo-Rohde also devoted a large portion of her life to helping the Hispanic population obtain equal rights and representation. She is a hero to many people.
