The Impact of Latina and Latino
Nurses in the Community
By Norma G. Cuellar PhD., RN, FAAN
President, National Association of Hispanic Nurses
Professor, University of AL, Tuscaloosa, AL
According to the Bureau of Labor
statistics, Latinos make up only seven
percent of registered nurses (RNs). The
Latino nurse population has grown only 0.7
percent over the last 20 years. There is a dire
need to increase the number of Latino nurses to
care for the increasing number of Latinos in our
country. Furthermore, there is a grave shortage
of Latinos with baccalaureate and advanced
degrees who improve the quality of care of
Latinos. Why is this important? Because we
know that Latino patients tend to receive
better health care from nurses of their own race
or ethnicity, particularly in primary care and
mental health settings.
Non-English-speaking patients experience
better health care, greater medical comprehension,
and greater likelihood of keeping follow-up
appointments when they see a health care provider
who speaks their language.
The impact of education on Latinos from
disadvantaged backgrounds is alarming and
responsible for education inequities. Educational
social determinants contribute to barriers of
academic progress in Latinos. It is well noted
that children who receive education from
under-developed geographic areas do not finish
high school, do not go to college, and enter the
workforce at an early age. Latino students are
not counseled to take college preparatory
classes, are not given information on how to
apply for college, and are not counseled in
managing the financial implications of completing
a degree. Many Latino students have not
had the opportunities of accelerated college
programs or advanced placement (AP) courses
in high school. Because of this, they are often
not competitive to enter a baccalaureate
program, specifically in nursing.
The educational inequities can be seen in
the differences in education access and success
at the national levels. Only 11 percent of the
Latino population graduate from a 4-year
university compared to 34 percent of Whites.
Percentages of degrees conferred for masters
and doctoral levels are abysmal compared to
Whites. In 2012, at the master’s level, 72.8
percent of degrees were conferred to Whites
and only 7.1 percent to Latinos. At the doctoral
level (PhD, MD, EdD, DDS, JD), 74.3 percent of
degrees were conferred to Whites with only 5.8
percent to Latinos.
We must encourage Latinos to consider
nursing as a career. If you are young or old, you
can go back to school to become a nurse. The
benefits of nursing as a career are limitless.
Salaries are better than they have ever been and
opportunities for professional growth are
substantial. Latino nurses make an impact in
families and communities. If you have interest in
becoming an RN, please contact me and I will
provide you with information. You can also look
at our web page for more information about
Latino nurses at www.nahnnet.org.
LS
¡Punto Final!
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Dr. Norma Cuellar received her
baccalaureate degree in nursing
from University of Southern
Mississippi, her master’s degree
in nursing from Louisiana
Health Sciences Center, and her
doctorate of science in nursing
from University of Alabama at
Birmingham. She completed a
post-doctoral fellowship from
the University of Virginia in
Complementary and Alternative
Medicine. Her clinical
background began in coronary
care ICU in 1984. Since then,
she has practiced in a variety of
health care settings including home health, incarceration, school
health, and long-term care facilities. Dr. Cuellar has taught since
1989 in a variety of nursing programs. Her focus in teaching has
been leadership, research, gerontology, and sleep.
48 www.latinastyle.com LATINAStyle Vol. 25, No. 3, 2019
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