[Congressional Bills 113th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 540 Introduced in House (IH)]

113th CONGRESS
  2d Session
H. RES. 540

Supporting the goals and ideals of National Nurses Week on May 6, 2014, 
                         through May 12, 2014.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             April 3, 2014

 Ms. Eddie Bernice Johnson of Texas (for herself, Mr. Joyce, Ms. Shea-
Porter, and Mr. Coffman) submitted the following resolution; which was 
            referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
Supporting the goals and ideals of National Nurses Week on May 6, 2014, 
                         through May 12, 2014.

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 care in a transformed 
        health care system that improves patient outcomes and safety;
Whereas the Institute of Medicine's Future of Nursing report 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 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 educated 
        to be sensitive to 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 Nation;
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 they care for; and
Whereas increased Federal and State investment is needed to support programs 
        such as the Nursing Workforce Development Programs (Title VIII, Public 
        Health Services Act) that celebrate their 50th anniversary in 2014, 
        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 Nation's diverse population: Now, therefore, be 
        it
    Resolved, 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.
                                 <all>