Dr. Iladaura Murillo-Rohde called the first meeting of the National Association of Spanish Speaking-Spanish Surnamed Nurses (NASSSN) to order. It was 1976 and she looked around the room in gratitude — the creation of NASSSN was a dream of hers and the culmination of years of hard work.  

Ildaura had been active in the American Nurses Association (ANA) for many years. She was frustrated with the lack of Hispanic nurses in the ANA, however. So she spearheaded an effort to provide greater support for Hispanic nurses within the ANA. 

It all started when Ildaura and about ten other Hispanic nurses got together at the ANA convention in Atlantic City in 1974. Their goal was to create the “Ad Hoc Committee of the Spanish-Speaking/Spanish Surname Nurses’ Caucus” of the American Nurses Association. Ultimately, they failed. The ANA refused to recognize the Ad Hoc Committee, however. 

Ildaura refused to give up. So, she recommended that the Hispanic nurses try another route. At the 1975 ANA conference, the group of Hispanic nurses met again. They decided to create their own organization, separate from the ANA. 

Ildaura and her team of Hispanic nurses worked together to form the National Association of Spanish Speaking-Spanish Surnamed Nurses (NASSSN). Ildaura incorporated the NASSN in the state of Washington in 1977 and served as its first president until 1980. For the first few years, she funded all used her own funds to keep the organization going. She funded the association used her personal funds to  

In 1979, Ildaura advocated for changing the name of the association to National Association of Hispanic Nurses (NAHN). In addition, she was instrumental in moving the headquarters to Washington DC. The mission of NAHN is to “improve health care delivery and outcomes for Hispanic community in America” and advocate for “educational, professional, and leadership opportunities for Hispanic nurses.”

Ildaura was active in NAHN for the rest of her life and attended every NAHN conference until she was too ill to travel.

The Power of the Wand

Throughout her nursing career, Ildaura advocated for cultural awareness and diversity in healthcare. She encouraged Hispanics to become nurses and highlighted the underrepresentation of marginalized communities at a national level. 

The NAHN provides the “Dr. Ildaura Murilllo-Rohde Scholarship for Hispanic Students.” In her honor. In addition, the “Dr. Ildaura Murillo-Rohde Award for Education Excellence by a Hispanic RN” honors NAHN members who have provided an outstanding contribution to nursing education. 

Her Yellow Brick Road

At every stage go her career, Ildaura created opportunities for Hispanics in nursing. She taught at various nursing schools, teaching future nurses and advocating for cultural competence in healthcare. She also worked to increase diversity among nursing students. And along the way, she also became an expert on psychotherapy, marriage and family therapy.

Ildaura was the first Hispanic to become Dean of Nursing at the State University of New York (SUNY). She also served in administration in a number of other nursing schools —  SUNY in Brooklyn; SUNY Downstate Medical Center; and the University of Washington.

Eventually, Ildaura was ready for a new challenge. She wanted to influence policy at the federal level. So she moved to DC and worked at the NIH, reviewing federal research and education grants. 

Once again, Ildaura looked around and saw no one who looked like her in DC. There was virtually no representation of Hispanic people in the federal government, academic settings, research, or public policy. Also, very few of the grant requests that passed her desk were written by Hispanics. She was determined to increase the number of professionals who could advise lawmakers on the health needs of Hispanic communities.

Brains, Heart & Courage 

Iladaura Murillo was born in Panama and grew up in a family of health care providers. She immigrated to the United States when she was 25 years old and decided to go to nursing school. In 1948, she graduated from Medical and Surgical Hospital School of Nursing in San Antonio. 

Dr. Ildaura Murillo-Rohde (National Association of Hispanic Nurses)

Ildaura started her career in San Antonio. She worked in a part of the city that had a large Hispanic population. But when she looked around, she saw very few Hispanic caregivers. She was one of the only nurses who understood the culture of her patients. 

A few years later, Ildaura decided she wanted to help her community  something about it. So she went back to school. She attended the Teachers College of Columbia University and received a bachelor’s degree in “the teaching and supervision of psychiatric nursing” in 1953. Then, she went on to earn a masters in education from Columbia. 

After graduation, Ildaura worked at at Bellevue Psychiatric Hospital in New York City. She spent a lot of her time helping patients diagnosed with Puerto Rican syndrome, a form of post traumatic stress disorder (it was named after Puerto Rican soldiers who were traumatized during the Korean War). 

Ildaura moved to Detroit and then back to New York City, helping hospitals to establish their psychiatric divisions. Then, she decided to go back to school. In 1971, she became the first Latina nurse to earn a PhD from NYU. Her dissertation was on the “relationship between Puerto Rican mother-son interpersonal compatibility.” 

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Just the Facts

• Ildaura was born in Panama on September 26, 1920. She immigrated to San Antonio, Texas in 1945. 
• Ildaura received a nursing diploma from the Medical and Surgical Hospital School of Nursing in 1948; bachelor’s degree in teaching and supervision of psychiatric nursing from Columbia University; masters in education and administration from Columbia; and a PhD from NYU. 
• Ildaura served in many teaching and administrative roles, including: Dean of Nursing at the State University of New York (SUNY); Dean of Nursing at SUNY in Brooklyn; Dean and Professor Emeritus of College of Nursing at SUNY Downstate Medical Center; and Associate Dean at the University of Washington.
• Ildaura received a Fellowship from the American Academy of Nursing, which was one of nursing’s highest honors. She was also named a “Living Legend” from the Academy. 
• Ildaura was appointed as World Health Organization psychiatric consultant to the Guatemalan government and was a permanent UN representative to UNICEF for the International Federation of Business and Professional Women. 
• Ildaura died on September 5, 2010 in Panama at age 89 (one day before her 90th birthday). She was featured in a Google Doodle on September 15, 2021. It was created by Latina artist Loris Lora. 

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