FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE |
Contact: Martita Mestey - iWeev |
Hispanic Nurses and Healthcare Professionals Meet to Promote Healthy Latino Communities |
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Washington, DC — Confronted with a nursing shortage and healthcare disparities, Hispanic nurses from around the country will meet in Washington, DC for the National Association of Hispanic Nurses (NAHN) 35th Annual Conference. In the 37 years history of the organization, this is the first time NAHN will take its members, who represent 50,000 Hispanic nurses, to Capitol Hill to meet with Senators and House Representatives. The nurses and nursing students will advocate for legislation that eliminates the health and health education disparities among Latinos. Hispanics face considerable cultural, language, political, and financial barriers in regard to their health. So, quite rightly, the theme of the 35th conference is Transforming Policy to Support Healthy Communities for Latinos. "It is our responsibility to ensure that the Hispanic community not only knows about the new Health Care Reform bill, but also understands the changes that will occur because of it. We need to keep our communities informed of the resources that will be available to them," said Dr. Norma Martinez Rogers, president of NAHN and professor at the University of Texas Health Science Center in San Antonio. "Furthermore, we need to become more involved politically, so that Congress and the leadership of the United States knows who we are and the important role we play in our communities." Keynote speakers include Carmen J. Portillo, PhD, RN, FAAN, a professor of nursing and the Chair of the Department of Community Health Systems at the University of California; Sr. Callista Roy, RN, PhD, FAAN, author, nurse theorist, and professor of nursing at the William F. Connell School of Nursing at Boston College and Barbara Aranda-Naranjo, PhD, RN, FAAN who directs the President's Global AIDS Program at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. NAHN is actively involved in issues affecting Hispanic nurses and the health of Hispanic communities on local, state, regional, and national levels. The organization is committed to work towards providing equal access to education, professional and economic opportunities for Hispanic nurses and to improving the health and nursing care for Hispanic consumers. For more information, contact Martita Mestey at mmestey@iweev.com or visit www.thehispanicnurses.org.
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About The National Association of Hispanic Nurses |
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