[Congressional Record Volume 157, Number 177 (Friday, November 18, 2011)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E2099]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                    NATIONAL NURSE PRACTITIONER WEEK

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                          HON. SANDER M. LEVIN

                              of michigan

                    in the house of representatives

                       Friday, November 18, 2011

  Mr. LEVIN. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of National Nurse 
Practitioner Week.
  This honorary week, November 13th through the 19th, celebrates the 
vital service that over 148,000 nurse practitioners provide to patients 
around the country. At a time when there is a shortage of primary care 
physicians, more and more Americans are turning to nurse practitioners 
to help with their medical problems.
  Nurse practitioners are highly educated, licensed clinicians that 
provide a broad range of patient-focused care. Besides treating medical 
needs, nurse practitioners also focus on health promotion and disease 
prevention as well as health education that helps guide patients and 
assist them in making healthy choices in their day-to-day lives. Nurse 
practitioners improve the lives of Americans and help reduce health 
care costs. We should celebrate nurse practitioners as a crucial part 
of our healthcare system and a solution to many of the problems it 
faces.
  I urge all my colleagues to join me in recognizing the important work 
of nurse practitioners across the nation.

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