[Congressional Record Volume 160, Number 23 (Thursday, February 6, 2014)]
[Senate]
[Pages S825-S826]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




   SENATE RESOLUTION 350--DESIGNATING FEBRUARY 14, 2014, AS NATIONAL 
             SOLIDARITY DAY FOR COMPASSIONATE PATIENT CARE

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

                              S. Res. 350

       Whereas National Solidarity Day for Compassionate Patient 
     Care promotes national awareness of the importance of 
     compassionate and respectful relationships between health 
     care professionals and their patients as reflected in 
     attitudes that are sensitive to the values, autonomy, and 
     cultural and ethnic backgrounds of patients and their 
     families;
       Whereas on February 14 of each year, medical professionals 
     and students stand in solidarity to support compassion in 
     health care as expressed by Dr. Randall Friese, triage 
     physician at the University of Arizona Medical Center, who 
     stated that the most important treatment he provided to 
     Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords after she was shot on 
     January 8, 2011, was to hold her hand and reassure her that 
     she was in the hospital and would be cared for;
       Whereas physicians, nurses, and all other health care 
     professionals are charged with practicing medicine as both an 
     art and a science;
       Whereas an awareness of the importance of compassion in 
     health care encourages health care professionals to be 
     mindful of the need to treat the patient rather than the 
     disease;
       Whereas scientific research reveals that when health care 
     professionals practice

[[Page S826]]

     humanistically and demonstrate the qualities of integrity, 
     compassion, altruism, respect, empathy, and service, their 
     patients have better medical outcomes; and
       Whereas February 14th would be an appropriate day to 
     designate as National Solidarity Day for Compassionate 
     Patient Care and for health care students and professionals 
     to celebrate by performing humanistic acts of compassion and 
     kindness toward patients, families of patients, and health 
     care colleagues: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved, That the Senate--
       (1) designates February 14, 2014, as National Solidarity 
     Day for Compassionate Patient Care;
       (2) recognizes the importance and value of a respectful 
     relationship between health care professionals and their 
     patients as a means of promoting better health outcomes; and
       (3) encourages all health care professionals to be mindful 
     of the important roles in medicine of humanism and 
     compassion, as well as technical expertise.

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