Life and Death of The Panamanian Nurse

Dr. Ildaura Murillo-Rohde (Born September 6, 1920; Died September 5, 2010) was a Panamanian academic, professor, organizational administrator, tennis instructor, and nurse. Amongst her many incredible career achievements, she is most famous as the founder of the National Association of Hispanic Nurses in 1975.

Dr. Ildaura passed away at the age of 89 on September 5, 2010, just a day before her 90th birthday. Here’s what we know about the life and legacy of the Panamanian healthcare professional.

Summary of Dr. Ildaura Murillo-Rohde’s Bio

• Full name: Dr. Ildaura Murillo Rohde
• Gender: Female
• Date of birth: September 6, 1920
• Date of death: September 5, 2010
• Dr. Ildaura Murillo-Rohde’s Age: 89 years old
• Ethnicity: Hispanic
• Nationality: Panamanian, American
• Zodiac Sign: Virgo
• Sexual Orientation: Straight
• Religion: Christianity
• Marital Status: Married
• Education: Teachers’ College, Columbia University (first degree, MA, and MEd), New York University (Ph.D.)
• Eye color: Brown
• Hair color: Gray
• Profession: Academic, professor, organizational administrator, tennis instructor, and nurse
• Dr. Ildaura Murillo-Rohde’s Net Worth: Est. $1 – 5 million
• Famous for: Being the founder of the National Association of Hispanic Nurses (NAHN)

Dr. Ildaura Muurillo-Rohde was Born in 1920

Long before she had the title of Dr. affixed to her name, the respected late nurse came into the world as Ildaura Murillo-Rohde on September 5, 1920, under the birth sign of Virgo. She was a Panamanian citizen by birth, although her move and an eventual lengthy stay in the United States earned her an American citizenship status.

For most of her existence, every spotlight on Murillo-Rohde was focused on her achievements as a nurse, and not enough information is accessible about the identities of her birth family members, including her parents and any siblings she might have had.

Ildaura Murillo-Rohde spent the first 25 years of her life in her home country of Panama, where she attended and received her high school diploma, even though the details of her high school have remained unavailable to date.

She moved to the United States in 1945 and settled in the largely Hispanic-populated city of San Antonio, Texas. She observed that there were few Hispanic nurses in her community, and this observation informed her decision to study for the privilege of earning a Bachelor’s degree in Psychiatric Mental Health Nursing at New York’s Teachers’ College at Columbia University.

She remained at Columbia University to further earn an MA in teaching and curriculum development as well as an MEd in education and administration. While she was technically a nurse, the late trailblazer became a doctor after she received her Ph.D. in Nursing at New York University in 1971.

In the process, she became the first Hispanic nurse to earn such an elite academic honor.

Dr. Ildaura Murillo-Rohde Nursing Career Began in San Antonio, Texas

Before all the academic qualifications, Dr. Ildaura Murillo-Rohde was already a practicing nurse. Her desire to pursue further education was inspired by the lack of progress she witnessed among her people in that profession.

After she received her Ph.D., the highly decorated nurse was appointed to a federal position where she reviewed research and educational grants. Again she noticed the same pattern that she had noticed in San Antonio in the sense that there were not enough Latina and Hispanic nurses in public policy or research, and she made a move to alter that dynamic.

Dr. Murillo-Rohde was the First President of NAHN

One of Dr. Ildaura Murillo-Rohde’s biggest achievements was the formation of the National Association of Spanish-Speaking or Spanish-Surnamed Nurses (NASSSSN) in 1975. The organization became the National Association of Hispanic Nurses (NAHN) in 1979.

She also served as the first president of the organization. Prior to the formation of that organization, she got a fellowship from the American Academy of Nursing. She later became an associate dean at the University of Washington before becoming the first Hispanic nursing dean at New York University (NYU).

Her impressive accomplishments drew the attention of a lot of bigwigs in the healthcare sector, and in 1991 she was appointed to a commission set up by David Dinkins, the then mayor of New York City, to look into the quality of care at New York City hospitals.

Suffice it to say that her involvement in that commission raised the standard of care obtainable in New York City hospitals. The late healthcare professional was always active in her duties as one of the foremost authorities on the overall healthcare of the US at the time, and if not for the state of her health in the latter years of her career, one could argue that she would have continued on that path until death.

She has received numerous accolades for her service to not only the Hispanic community but to her generation as well. One such recognition for her stellar contribution to the lives and well-being of the American people came in 1994 when she was named a Living Legend of the American Academy of Nursing.

She was also named as a permanent representative to UNICEF, New York, for the International Federation of Business and Professional Women. Dr. Ildaura Murillo-Rohde left a legacy of excellence and dedication behind her, and to preserve that legacy, the body she founded, NAHN, awards a scholarship and an educational excellence award in her honor.

Dr. Ildaura Murillo-Rohde was Married

Dr. Ildaura Murillo-Rohde was believed to be married, but while she could not stop the media and the public from gushing about her impressive work as a nurse, she was able to keep the identities of her husband and children away from the media.

Nevertheless, one would assume that they are quite proud of her accomplishments. Somehow though, none of the spotlights that were on the late nurse shone on them enough to reveal their identities to the rest of the world.

Dr. Ildaura Murillo-Rohde Died in 2020

On September 5, 2010, the world awoke to the news that the well-respected and decorated nurse had gone to be with her ancestors. She had retired at some point in her career to her home country of Panama, and that was where she died, in her home.

To date, the primary cause of her death has yet to be established. However, it is important to point out that she started struggling with her health a bit, and that informed her decision to retire. It remains to be seen whether her health challenges played any part in her demise.

Dr. Ildaura Murillo-Rohde was 89 years old at the time of her death, and she died just a day before celebrating her 90th birthday. She may have been gone for over a decade now, but the legacy she left behind in the hearts of the members of the Hispanic community will continue to live on.

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