NWONL Affiliate Update: Honoring the Inspiring Stories of Washington’s Bilingual Nurses

From our peers at Washington Center for Nursing:

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, 1 in 5 Washingtonians speaks a language other than English at home. At the Washington Center for Nursing (WCN), we celebrate the rich diversity of our communities and the nurses who reflect them. Yet, while 38% of Washingtonians identify as a race or ethnicity other than white, only 23% of the RN workforce does. Representation matters: as the American Association of Colleges of Nursing reminds us, “Improving nursing diversity strengthens the trust between patients and nurses.”

 To highlight the vital role bilingual nurses play in strengthening care, WCN has created a series of videos featuring their journeys into nursing. These stories share the challenges they faced, the communities that supported them, and the passion that drives them to provide compassionate care for all Washingtonians.

Here’s where we need your help:

•  Include them in your newsletters, websites, or community outreach
• Share these videos with students, especially those exploring healthcare careers
•  Use them as a classroom or club resource

Below are the links to watch and share the videos.

• Video Link: Bilingual Nurses, Stronger Care: Rey Paranada, RN (English & Tagalog) (length-04:48)
• Video Link: Bilingual Nurses, Stronger Care: Liang Li, RN, APRN (English & Mandarin) (length-06:08)
•  Additional student resources for starting their nursing journey available at https://www.wcnursing.org/be-a-nurse/.

By sharing these videos, you help inspire future nurses — and strengthen the nursing workforce for all of Washington. Reach out to WCN Communications Manager, Brenda Little with any questions, brendal@wcnursing.org.

Thank you for supporting this important work.

Brenda Little, Communications Manager, Washington Center for Nursing