IV 
111TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION 
H. RES. 192 
Recognizing National Nurses Week on May 6 through May 12, 2009. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
FEBRUARY 25, 2009 
Ms. EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON of Texas (for herself, Mrs. CAPPS, Mrs. 
MCCARTHY of New York, Mr. CONYERS, Ms. BORDALLO, Ms. GIFFORDS, 
Mr. BOSWELL, Mr. KENNEDY, Mr. MCGOVERN, Mr. GENE GREEN of 
Texas, Mr. SESTAK, and Mr. GORDON of Tennessee) submitted the fol-
lowing resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Energy and 
Commerce 
RESOLUTION 
Recognizing National Nurses Week on May 6 through May 
12, 2009. 
Whereas since 1999, National Nurses Week is celebrated an-
nually from May 6, also known as National Recognition 
Day for Nurses, through May 12, the birthday of Flor-
ence 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 pro-
vide safe, high-quality healthcare; 
Whereas nurses are known to be patient advocates, acting 
fearlessly to protect the lives of those under their care; 
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•HRES 192 IH 
Whereas nurses represent the largest single component of the 
healthcare profession, with an estimated population of 
2,900,000 registered nurses in the United States; 
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 are best positioned to provide leadership to 
eliminate healthcare disparities that exist in our Nation; 
Whereas nurses help inform and educate the public to im-
prove the practice of all nurses and, more importantly, 
the health and safety of the patients they care for; 
Whereas the American Association of Colleges of Nursing 
(AACN) released preliminary survey data showing that 
enrollment in entry-level baccalaureate nursing programs 
increased by only 2 percent from 2007 to 2008, and 
though this marks the eighth consecutive year of enroll-
ment growth, the annual increase in student capacity in 
4-year nursing programs has declined sharply since 2003 
when enrollment was up by 16.6 percent; 
Whereas United States nursing programs were forced to re-
ject almost 100,000 qualified applications to nursing pro-
grams according to the National League for Nursing’s 
most recent survey of all prelicensure nursing programs; 
Whereas the nationwide nursing shortage has caused dedi-
cated nurses to work longer hours and care for more 
acutely ill patients; 
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•HRES 192 IH 
Whereas nurse educators work on average more than 57 
hours per week in order to ensure that each and every 
new registered nurse receives an excellent education, ad-
vancing excellence among the next generation of nurses; 
Whereas nurses are strong allies to Congress as they help in-
form, educate, and work closely with legislators to im-
prove 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 pre-
pared nurses to teach and train at those sites, to create 
educational opportunities to retain nurses in the profes-
sion, and to educate and train more nurse research sci-
entists who can discover new nursing care models to im-
prove the health status of the Nation’s diverse popu-
lation: Now, therefore, be it 
Resolved, That the House of Representatives— 
(1) recognizes the significant contributions of 
nurses to the healthcare system of the United 
States; 
(2) supports the goals and ideals of National 
Nurses Week, as founded by the American Nurses 
Association; and 
(3) encourages the people of the United States 
to observe National Nurses Week with appropriate 
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recognition, ceremonies, activities, and programs to 
demonstrate the importance of nurses to the every-
day lives of patients. 
Æ 
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