Founded in 1975 by Ildaura Murillo Rohde, PhD, RN, FAAN, The National Association of Hispanic Nurses evolved from the Ad Hoc Committee of the Spanish-Speaking Surnamed Nurses’ Caucus, formed in 1974 during the American Nurses Association convention in San Francisco. The organization became the National Association of Spanish-Speaking/Spanish Surnamed Nurses in 1976. The group was renamed the National Association of Hispanic Nurses in 1979. NAHN is the only national organization representing Latino nurses.

Today, the organization has chapters across the United States and the territory of Puerto Rico. NAHN is actively involved in issues affecting Hispanic nurses and the health of the Hispanic communities on local, state, regional, and national levels. Through mentorship and networking, NAHN promotes communication and collective action by Hispanics in nursing to strengthen their development in a caring and healing profession. NAHN is committed to work toward providing equal access to education and professional and economic opportunities for Hispanic nurses and to improving the health and nursing care for Hispanic consumers.

Hispanics are the largest ethnic group in California who encounter health care issues which are influenced by political and socio-economic factors. The Los Angeles Chapter of NAHN (LA NAHN) was formed in August 1990 to address the need to organize and contribute towards nursing leadership, representation and networking for local Hispanic/Latino nurses.