A HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVE By Belen Gabato, MS, RN, Founding President

The year was 1992. Pureza Hidrosollo, Minda Arche, Joy Guideng and Belen Gabato, friends/colleagues met to organize the Philippine Nurses Association of Nevada. Belen became the President, Joy Guideng, VP, Minda, Secretary and Pureza, Treasurer… it was the quickest election! Hard work lay before them in convincing fellow nurses to join. Two years they labored and it was the same question wherever they went….. what’s in it for me? Difficult to answer when you’re just at the starting gate; but they persevered.

A couple of years later, Lonna Burress, Executive Director of the Nevada State Board of Nursing (then) called Belen and PNA, NV with information that the State Legislature had intentions of allowing Canadian nurses to practice in Nevada without licensure requirements; they were exempted from taking the licensing examination. PNA was galvanized into action; informative sessions were held; petitions were signed and testimony presented to legislators in opposition to the measure. We opposed it on the basis of competency rather than discriminatory practice and posed the question: can competency be determined by country of origin? Of course the answer was a resounding NO! The measure died! This singular event made clear to Filipino-American nurses that in unity there is strength. Slowly, membership increased to what it is now.

Activities of PNA have been and continues to be:

• Nursing advocacy
• Partnership with the Nevada State Board of Nursing in workshops and seminars on the Nurse Practice Act; Scope and Standard of Practice; Basis for disciplinary actions
• Community involvement through health fairs/screening, donations to charitable organizations serving the needy.
• Providing for professional growth of the membership through workshops/seminars.
• Multicultural advocacy through partnerships with UNLV School of Nursing … grants and research projects on transitioning for internationally educated nurses
• Monitoring legislative activity impacting nursing and nurses
• Being a resource for Filipino-American nurses and others.
• Partnership with other community organizations serving the public.

Through hard work and integrity, PNA, NV is a recognized professional entity in Nevada!