[Congressional Bills 107th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. Res. 314 Introduced in Senate (IS)]







107th CONGRESS
  2d Session
S. RES. 314

 Expressing the sense of the Senate that a commemorative postage stamp 
           should be issued commemorating registered nurses.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                             July 31, 2002

 Mr. Cleland submitted the following resolution; which was referred to 
                 the Committee on Governmental Affairs

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
 Expressing the sense of the Senate that a commemorative postage stamp 
           should be issued commemorating registered nurses.

Whereas registered nurses comprise the largest health care work force in the 
        United States, numbering more than 2,700,000;
Whereas registered nurses are integral to health care across human lifespan, 
        from the nurse midwives who attend deliveries, to staff nurses who care 
        for us during times of acute injury or illness, to geriatric nurse 
        practitioners who manage end-of-life care;
Whereas nursing is a rewarding profession that offers diverse career paths for 
        men and women;
Whereas registered nurses provide direct patient care and manage teams of 
        medical professionals in hospitals, clinics, community health centers, 
        offices, nursing homes, and the homes of patients;
Whereas there is a growing disparity between the supply of and demand for 
        registered nurses that is leading to an overwhelming shortage that will 
        place great strains on our health care system;
Whereas this burgeoning shortage represents confluence of powerful demographic 
        and social forces, including declining nursing school enrollment and 
        increased exodus from the profession;
Whereas the lack of young people in nursing has resulted in a steady and 
        dramatic increase in the average age of a registered nurse in the United 
        States;
Whereas the average age of a working registered nurse is 43 years, meaning that 
        the nursing workforce is aging at twice the rate of other occupations in 
        the United States;
Whereas the Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates that 331,000 registered nurses, 
        or 15 percent of the current workforce, will retire between 1998 and 
        2008;
Whereas the health care needs of the Nation are expected to increase greatly as 
        the baby boom generation reaches retirement age;
Whereas a recent survey of hospitals across the Nation concluded that nursing 
        shortages are already causing emergency department overcrowding, 
        emergency department diversions, increase waiting time for surgery, 
        discontinued patient care programs or reduced service hours, delayed 
        discharges, and canceled surgeries;
Whereas 4 agencies under the Department of Health and Human Services recently 
        demonstrated the relationship between registered nurses and patient care 
        in a study that found strong and consistent evidence that increased 
        registered nurse staffing directly relates to decreases in the incidence 
        of urinary tract infections, pneumonia, shock, and upper 
        gastrointestinal bleeding, and decreases in the length of hospital 
        stays;
Whereas the Institute of Medicine and the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid 
        Services have recently released reports detailing the need for increased 
        registered nurse care in nursing facilities;
Whereas the American Nurses Association has identified a need to improve the 
        recognition of the value of nursing and the image of the nursing 
        profession;
Whereas registered nurses did not hesitate to respond to the extraordinarily 
        dangerous situations resulting from the terrorist attacks of September 
        11, 2001, putting their own lives at risk and acting heroically to help 
        save as many lives as possible in the impact zones; and
Whereas registered nurses have historically cared for patients regardless of the 
        risks of war, violence, or of contracting debilitating illnesses: Now, 
        therefore, be it
    Resolved,

SECTION 1. SENSE OF THE SENATE.

    It is the sense of the Senate that--
            (1) the United States Postal Service should issue a postage 
        stamp commemorating registered nurses; and
            (2) the Citizens' Stamp Advisory Committee should recommend 
        to the Postmaster General that such a stamp be issued not later 
        than 1 year after the adoption of this resolution.

SEC. 2. TRANSMITTAL TO CITIZENS' STAMP ADVISORY COMMITTEE.

    The Secretary of the Senate shall transmit a copy of this 
resolution to the chairperson of the Citizens' Stamp Advisory 
Committee.
                                 <all>