[Congressional Record Volume 160, Number 116 (Wednesday, July 23, 2014)]
[Senate]
[Pages S4770-S4771]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




SENATE RESOLUTION 514--DESIGNATING THE WEEK OF AUGUST 10 THROUGH AUGUST 
       16, 2014, AS ``NATIONAL NURSE-MANAGED HEALTH CLINIC WEEK''

  Mr. MERKLEY (for himself and Mr. Alexander) submitted the following 
resolution; which was considered and agreed to:

                              S. Res. 514

       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

[[Page S4771]]

     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, as of March 2014, approximately 500 nurse-managed 
     health clinics provided care across the United States and 
     recorded more than 2,500,000 patient 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;
       Whereas the 2010 report of the Institute of Medicine 
     entitled ``The Future of Nursing: Leading Change, Advancing 
     Health,'' highlights the work nurse-managed health clinics 
     are doing to reduce health disparities by bringing evidence-
     based care to individuals who may not otherwise receive 
     needed services; and
       Whereas nurse-managed health clinics offering both primary 
     care and wellness services provide quality care in a cost-
     effective manner: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved, That the Senate--
       (1) designates the week of August 10 through August 16, 
     2014, as ``National Nurse-Managed Health Clinic Week'';
       (2) supports the ideals and goals of National Nurse-Managed 
     Health Clinic Week; and
       (3) encourages the continued support 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.

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