[Congressional Record Volume 149, Number 66 (Tuesday, May 6, 2003)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E870-E871]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




   NATIONAL NURSES WEEK 2003--NURSES: LIFTING SPIRITS, TOUCHING LIVES

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. CAROLYN McCARTHY

                              of new york

                    in the house of representatives

                          Tuesday, May 6, 2003

  Mrs. McCARTHY of New York. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in honor of 
National Nurses Week, an established recognition event created to pay 
tribute to the nurses who give care to millions of patients every day. 
National Nurses Week is celebrated every year beginning May 6 and 
ending May 12, Florence Nightingale's birthday. ``Nurses: Lifting 
Spirits, Touching Lives.'' is the theme for 2003.
  As a nurse for over thirty years, I am proud to be part of such a 
caring and compassionate group of professionals. And as a Member of 
Congress, I have the wonderful opportunity of fighting for issues and 
policies that affect nurses and the nursing profession.
  A major national issue concerning the nursing profession is the 
growing nursing shortage. With various new career options for 
healthcare professionals today, prompting nurses to gradually move away 
from patient care and into fields with better pay and benefits, nurses 
are grappling with becoming financially competitive.
  Of the estimated 2.5 million licensed nurses in our country, 400,000 
have left the profession for other pursuits. In 2000, Long Island had 
an 8 percent RN vacancy rate and a 16 percent LPN vacancy rate. 
Nationwide, hospitals need more than 125,000 nurses to fill all the 
nursing positions available today.
  Over the past few years, I have been successful in educating my 
colleagues on both sides of the aisle about the importance of 
addressing the nursing shortage. It is vital for the health of this 
nation that the nursing field continues attracting experienced and 
educated candidates.
  To that end, I played a lead role in the passage of H.R. 1436, the 
Nurse Reinvestment Act last year. This critical piece of legislation

[[Page E871]]

combines my own bill to provide money for Magnet hospitals 
Accreditation and another bill I offered to retain and attract nurses. 
Magnet hospitals enjoy low turnover and top-notch work conditions. 
Nurses at magnet hospitals consistently report greater job satisfaction 
than other nurses, and patients also give these types of hospitals high 
ratings. Attracting more nurses to move into positions at magnet 
hospitals will both lower the nursing shortage and help the profession 
remain competitive with other health care fields.
  Although last year's legislation is a good start, more needs to be 
done to find ways to recruit more young people to the nursing 
profession. That is why earlier this year, I introduced H.R. 934, the 
Teacher's and Nurses Support Act of 2003. This bill provides loan 
forgiveness for teachers and nurses around the country. I want to 
encourage every student that nursing, in my view, is the best 
profession in the world. This legislation would help eliminate 
financial barriers to pursuing a nursing career.
  In closing, I urge my fellow nurses to tell friends, children and 
neighbors about all the positive aspects of being a nurse. We need to 
excite our students in high school and junior high about our career 
choice and how nurses are always there to help the sick get better and 
to make sure the healthy stay that way.

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