III 

115TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION S. RES. 166 

Supporting the goals and ideals of National Nurses Week, to be observed 

from May 6 through May 12, 2017. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

MAY 16, 2017 

Mr. WICKER (for himself, Mr. MERKLEY, Mr. TILLIS, and Mr. BOOZMAN) 

submitted the following resolution; which was considered and agreed to 

RESOLUTION 

Supporting the goals and ideals of National Nurses Week, 

to be observed from May 6 through May 12, 2017. 

Whereas, beginning in 1991, National Nurses Week is celebrated annually from May 6, also known as ‘‘National 

Recognition Day for Nurses’’, through May 12, the birthday of Florence Nightingale, the founder of modern nursing; 

Whereas National Nurses Week is a time of year to reflect 

on the important contributions that nurses make to provide safe, high-quality health care; 

Whereas nurses are known to be patient advocates, acting 

fearlessly to protect the lives of individuals under the 

care of the nurses; 


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•SRES 166 ATS 

Whereas nurses represent the largest single component of the 

health care profession, with an estimated population of 

3,600,000 professionally active nurses in the United 

States; 

Whereas nurses are leading in the delivery of quality care in 

a transformed health care system that improves patient 

outcomes and safety; 

Whereas the Future of Nursing report of the Institute of 

Medicine has called for the nursing profession to meet 

the call for leadership in a team-based delivery model; 

Whereas, when nurse staffing levels increase, the risk of patient complications and lengthy hospital stays decreases, 

resulting in cost savings; 

Whereas nurses are experienced researchers, and the work of 

nurses encompasses a wide scope of scientific inquiry, including clinical research, health systems and outcomes research, and nursing education research; 

Whereas nurses provide culturally and ethnically competent 

care and are educated to be sensitive to the regional and 

community customs of individuals needing care; 

Whereas nurses are well-positioned to provide leadership to 

eliminate health care disparities that exist in the United 

States; 

Whereas nurses are the cornerstone of the public health infrastructure, promoting healthy lifestyles and educating 

communities on disease prevention and health promotion; 

Whereas nurses are strong allies to Congress as the nurses 

help inform, educate, and work closely with legislators to 

improve the education, retention, recruitment, and practice of all nurses and, more importantly, the health and 

safety of the patients for whom the nurses care; 


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•SRES 166 ATS 

Whereas strengthening nursing workforce development programs at all levels, including the number of doctorally 

prepared faculty members, and providing education to the 

nurse research scientists who can discover new nursing 

care models to improve the health status of the diverse 

population of the United States, are needed; 

Whereas nurses touch the lives of the people of the United 

States from birth to the end of life; and 

Whereas nursing has been voted as the most honest and ethical profession in the United States: Now, therefore, be 

it 

1 Resolved, That the Senate— 

2 (1) supports the goals and ideals of National 

3 Nurses Week, as founded by the American Nurses 

4 Association; 

5 (2) recognizes the significant contributions of 

6 nurses to the health care system in the United 

7 States; and 

8 (3) encourages the people of the United States 

9 to observe National Nurses Week with appropriate 

10 recognition, ceremonies, activities, and programs to 

11 demonstrate the importance of nurses to the every12 day lives of patients. 

Æ 


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