Supporting the goals and ideals of National Nurses Week on May 6, 2013, through May 12, 2013.

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 their care; 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 patient care in a transformed health care system; Whereas the Institute of Medicine’s Future of Nursing report has called for the nursing profession to optimize its contribution to better meet the needs of all patients for quality health care; Whereas when nurse staffing levels increase, the risk of patient complications and length of hospital stays decrease, resulting in cost savings; 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 provide culturally and ethnically competent care and are increasingly being educated to be sensitive to regional and community customs of persons needing care; Whereas nurses have demonstrated their commitment to patient care, improved safety and quality, and better health outcomes; Whereas nurses are well positioned to provide leadership to eliminate health care disparities that exist in the Nation; 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 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 increased Federal and State support is needed to enhance existing programs and create new programs to educate nursing students at all levels, to increase the number of faculty members to educate nursing students, to create clinical sites and have the appropriately prepared nurses to teach and train at those sites, to create educational opportunities to retain nurses in the profession, and to educate and train more nurse research scientists who can discover new nursing care models to improve the health status of the Nation’s diverse population: Now, therefore, be it That the House of Representatives— (1) supports the goals and ideals of National Nurses Week, as founded by the American Nurses Association; (2) recognizes the significant contributions of nurses to the health care system of the United States; and (3) encourages the people of the United States to observe National Nurses Week with appropriate recognition, ceremonies, activities, and programs to demonstrate the importance of nurses to the everyday lives of patients.

Summary: Expresses support for the goals and ideals of National Nurses Week. Recognizes the contributions of nurses to the U.S. health care system.