III 

110TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION S. RES. 192 

Recognizing National Nurses Week on May 6 through May 12, 2007. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

MAY 10, 2007 

Mr. DURBIN (for himself and Ms. MIKULSKI) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, 

and Pensions 

RESOLUTION 

Recognizing National Nurses Week on May 6 through May 

12, 2007. 

Whereas, since 2003, National Nurses Week is celebrated annually from May 6, also known as National Nurses Day, 

through May 12, the birthday of Florence Nightingale, 

the founder of modern nursing; 

Whereas National Nurses Week is the time each year when 

nurses are recognized for the critical role they play in 

providing safe, high quality, and preventative health care; 

Whereas nurses are the cornerstone of the Nation’s complex 

health care system, representing the largest single component of the health care profession, with an estimated 

2,900,000 registered nurses in the United States; 


hmoore on PRODPC68 with HMBILLS
2 

•SRES 192 IS 

Whereas, according to a study published in the New England 

Journal of Medicine in May 2002, a higher proportion of 

nursing care provided by registered nurses and a greater 

number of hours of care by registered nurses per day are 

associated with better outcomes for hospitalized patients; 

Whereas nurses are experienced researchers and their work 

encompasses a wide scope of scientific inquiry including 

clinical research, health systems and outcomes research, 

and nursing education research; 

Whereas nurses are currently serving the Nation admirably 

in the conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan; 

Whereas nurses help inform and educate the public to improve the practice of all nurses and, more importantly, 

the health and safety of the patients they care for; 

Whereas our Nation continues to face a nursing shortage unprecedented in its depth and duration, with a projected 

1,200,000 new and replacement nurses needed by 2014; 

Whereas the nationwide nursing shortage has caused dedicated nurses to work longer hours and care for more 

acutely ill patients; 

Whereas nurses are strong allies to Congress as they 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 they care for; and 

Whereas nurses are an integral part of the health care delivery team and provide quality care, support, and education to patients and their families, conduct essential research, and serve as strong patient advocates: Now, 

therefore, be it 

1 Resolved, That the Senate— 


hmoore on PRODPC68 with HMBILLS
3 

•SRES 192 IS 

1 (1) recognizes the significant contributions of 

2 nurses to the health care system of the United 

3 States; 

4 (2) supports the goals and ideals of National 

5 Nurses Week, as founded by the American Nurses 

6 Association; and 

7 (3) encourages the people of the United States 

8 to observe National Nurses Week with appropriate 

9 recognition, ceremonies, activities, and programs to 

10 demonstrate the importance of nurses to the every11 day lives of patients. 

Æ 


hmoore on PRODPC68 with HMBILLS