III 

114TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION S. RES. 178 

Supporting the goals and ideals of National Nurses Week from May 6, 

2015, through May 12, 2015. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

MAY 12, 2015 

Mr. MERKLEY submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the 

Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions 

RESOLUTION 

Supporting the goals and ideals of National Nurses Week 

from May 6, 2015, through May 12, 2015. 

Whereas, since 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 those under the care of 

nurses; 


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•SRES 178 IS 

Whereas nurses represent the largest single component of the 

health care profession, with an estimated population of 

3,100,000 registered 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 persons 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 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 for whom they care; 


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•SRES 178 IS 

Whereas increased Federal and State investment is needed to 

support programs such as the Nursing Workforce Development Programs (authorized under title VIII of the 

Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 296 et seq.)), 

which bolster the nursing workforce at all levels, to increase the number of doctorally prepared faculty members, and to educate more nurse research scientists who 

can discover new nursing care models to improve the 

health status of the diverse population of the United 

States; 

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 for the past 13 years: 

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 of 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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