[Congressional Record Volume 157, Number 120 (Tuesday, August 2, 2011)]
[Senate]
[Pages S5269-S5270]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




   SENATE RESOLUTION 256--DESIGNATING THE WEEK OF OCTOBER 2 THROUGH 
   OCTOBER 8, 2011, AS ``NATIONAL NURSE-MANAGED HEALTH CLINIC WEEK''

  Mr. INOUYE (for himself and Mr. Alexander) submitted the following 
resolution; which was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary:

[[Page S5270]]

                              S. Res. 256

       Whereas nurse-managed health clinics are nonprofit 
     community-based health care sites that offer primary care and 
     wellness services based on the nursing model;
       Whereas the nursing model emphasizes the protection, 
     promotion, and optimization of health, the prevention of 
     illness, the alleviation of suffering, and the diagnosis and 
     treatment of illness;
       Whereas nurse-managed health clinics are led by advanced 
     practice nurses and staffed by an interdisciplinary team of 
     highly qualified health care professionals;
       Whereas nurse-managed health clinics offer a broad scope of 
     services including treatment for acute and chronic illnesses, 
     routine physical exams, immunizations for adults and 
     children, disease screenings, health education, prenatal 
     care, dental care, and drug and alcohol treatment;
       Whereas nurse-managed health clinics have a proven track 
     record, as the first federally funded nurse-managed health 
     clinic was created more than 35 years ago;
       Whereas, as of June 2011, more than 250 nurse-managed 
     health clinics provided care across the United States and 
     recorded more than 2,000,000 client encounters annually;
       Whereas nurse-managed health clinics serve a unique dual 
     role as both health care safety net access points and health 
     workforce development sites, given that the majority of 
     nurse-managed health clinics are affiliated with schools of 
     nursing and serve as clinical education sites for students 
     entering the health profession;
       Whereas nurse-managed health clinics strengthen the health 
     care safety net by expanding access to primary care and 
     chronic disease management services for vulnerable and 
     medically underserved populations in diverse rural, urban, 
     and suburban communities;
       Whereas research has shown that nurse-managed health 
     clinics experience high patient retention and patient 
     satisfaction rates, and nurse-managed health clinic patients 
     experience higher rates of generic medication fills and lower 
     hospitalization rates when compared to similar safety net 
     providers; and
       Whereas the use of nurse-managed health clinics offering 
     both primary care and wellness services will help meet this 
     increased demand in a cost-effective manner: Now, therefore, 
     be it
       Resolved, That the Senate--
       (1) designates the week of October 2 through October 8, 
     2011, as ``National Nurse-Managed Health Clinic Week'';
       (2) supports the ideals and goals of National Nurse-Managed 
     Health Clinic Week; and
       (3) encourages the expansion of nurse-managed health 
     clinics so that nurse-managed health clinics may continue to 
     serve as health care workforce development sites for the next 
     generation of primary care providers.

  Mr. INOUYE. Mr. President, today Senator Alexander and I rise to 
recognize over 250 Nurse-Managed Health Clinics in a Resolution 
designating the week of October 2, 2011, as National Nurse-Managed 
Health Clinic Week. Nurse-managed health clinics provide primary care 
and wellness services to a diverse population through all age groups 
and ethnicities. These clinics provide care to over two million 
patients in underserved or vulnerable areas across this country. Nurse-
managed health clinics offer a full range of accessible and affordable 
health services, including primary care, health promotion, and disease 
prevention to low-income, as well as un-and under insured patients, 
regardless of their ability to pay. The care is primarily provided by 
nurse practitioners working in partnership with an interdisciplinary 
team of health professions including clinical nurse specialists, 
registered nurses, health educators, community outreach workers, health 
care students, and collaborating physicians. As recognized by the 
Institute of Medicine's ``Future of Nursing'' report, the nurse managed 
clinics play a critical role in community-based preventive health care 
and have done so since their inception three decades ago.
  A Senate resolution will help pave the way for this effort. We ask 
our colleagues to join us in supporting this tribute to Nurse-Managed 
Health Clinics.

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