About Us

History

The National American Arab Nurses Association (NAANA), a 501(c) (3) organization (Tax ID 35-2169971) was founded in 2003 by Rose Khalifa, RN, BSN, as a non-profit, professional organization whose vision is to serve as a voice, a network and a resource for Arab American men and women in their pursuit of employment and advancement within the nursing profession.

While NAANA focuses primarily on the Arab American nurse, at the same time, it is an inclusive nursing organization fostering knowledge of cultural diversity and sensitivity between members and the community in the area of transcultural health care.

NAANA also encourages Arab Americans to consider nursing as a viable career choice. The organization has held cultural competency conferences and lobbied for appropriate representation on the annual nursing survey in Michigan. It has recognized the contributions of Arab American nurses through its annual Angel of Mercy banquet and provided scholarships, over $40,000 since its inception, to nursing students.

Mission

The National American Arab Nurses Association is the premier professional organization and advocate for American Arab nurses. NAANA acts as an advocate for improved health care in the American Arab community and as an expert resource for nurses and other healthcare providers regarding American Arabs’ health care beliefs and practices.

Goals

• Encourage and support the recruitment of Arab Americans into nursing
• Promote the positive image of Arab American nurses
• Facilitate the growth of membership in NAANA
• Educate healthcare providers about cultural practices of the Arab American patients and families
• Improve the health care of the Arab American community through advocacy and education
• Work to advance the knowledge and career status of nurses

To Achieve These Goals, NAANA will:

• Establish a speakers’ bureau as a resource for the community
• Serve as a link between schools of nursing and Arab American communities to assist in recruiting Arab Americans to nursing programs
• Participate in community health fairs
• Offer professional development classes for nurses in the community
• Make cultural practices educational material available on our website for general audiences
• Educate communities about the health beliefs and practices of Arab Americans
• Make health education aimed at the American Arab community in Arabic or English available on our website;
• Collaborate with other nursing associations on healthcare programs that support our multicultural community

Location