Sparrow Neuroscience Manager Meseret Hailu, MSN, RN, CNML, (left), being recognized by National Black Nurses Association (NBNA) Second Vice President Birthale Archie, MSN, BS, RN, DNP.
Published: May 3, 2016
A Sparrow Manager who dreamed of nursing while growing up in Ethiopia has helped form Lansing’s first chapter of the National Black Nurses Association (NBNA), reflecting Sparrow’s commitment to diversity and inclusion.
The new chapter and its 19 members were recognized by NBNA Second Vice President Birthale Archie, MSN, BS, RN, DNP, at a meeting Monday night at Sparrow.
The nonprofit NBNA represents 150,000 African-American Nurses, Licensed Vocational/Practical Nurses, nursing students and retired Nurses with 92 chapters in 35 states.
Nurses of color who join will have opportunities for networking, mentoring, leadership development, collaborating with other organizations, and community outreach, particularly among African-American communities where hypertension and diabetes are more prevalent. The association will also provide annual scholarships for residents.
Sparrow Neuroscience Manager Meseret Hailu, MSN, RN, CNML, said establishing the Lansing Area chapter is in line with Sparrow’s mission.
“This truly is an opportunity to live Sparrow’s mission of improving the health of our community,” Hailu said. “We’re not just saying it, we’re doing it.”
Hailu has been with Sparrow for 15 years, starting as a bedside Nurse and working her way up to manage the Neuroscience Department. From a young age growing up in Ethiopia, nursing was her career of choice because it allowed her to care for others. Hailu encourages young people to consider nursing because of the variety of career choices the profession offers.
“Whether it’s bedside care, research, education, teaching, public health – that’s the beauty of nursing,” she said. “You do have to care about people and that comes from a core of compassion and understanding.”
As the region’s largest private employer, Sparrow Health System and its affiliates employ a diverse workforce to serve the health needs of a diverse community.
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