[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 161 (2015), Part 5]
[Senate]
[Pages 6404-6405]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                         SUBMITTED RESOLUTIONS

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  SENATE RESOLUTION 178--SUPPORTING THE GOALS AND IDEALS OF NATIONAL 
           NURSES WEEK FROM MAY 6, 2015, THROUGH MAY 12, 2015

  Mr. MERKLEY submitted the following resolution; which was referred to 
the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions:

                              S. Res. 178

       Whereas, since 1991, National Nurses Week is celebrated 
     annually from May 6, also known as National Recognition Day 
     for Nurses, through May 12, the birthday of Florence 
     Nightingale, the founder of modern nursing;
       Whereas National Nurses Week is a time of year to reflect 
     on the important contributions that nurses make to provide 
     safe, high-quality health care;
       Whereas nurses are known to be patient advocates, acting 
     fearlessly to protect the lives of those under the care of 
     nurses;
       Whereas nurses represent the largest single component of 
     the health care profession, with an estimated population of 
     3,100,000 registered nurses in the United States;
       Whereas nurses are leading in the delivery of quality care 
     in a transformed health care system that improves patient 
     outcomes and safety;
       Whereas the Future of Nursing report of the Institute of 
     Medicine has called for the nursing profession to meet the 
     call for leadership in a team-based delivery model;
       Whereas, when nurse staffing levels increase, the risk of 
     patient complications and lengthy hospital stays decreases, 
     resulting in cost savings;
       Whereas nurses are experienced researchers, and the work of 
     nurses encompasses a wide scope of scientific inquiry, 
     including clinical research, health systems and outcomes 
     research, and nursing education research;
       Whereas nurses provide culturally and ethnically competent 
     care and are educated to be sensitive to the regional and 
     community customs of persons needing care;
       Whereas nurses are well-positioned to provide leadership to 
     eliminate health care disparities that exist in the United 
     States;
       Whereas nurses are the cornerstone of the public health 
     infrastructure, promoting healthy lifestyles and educating 
     communities on disease prevention and health promotion;
       Whereas nurses are strong allies to Congress as they help 
     inform, educate, and work closely with legislators to improve 
     the education, retention, recruitment, and practice of all 
     nurses and, more importantly, the health and safety of the 
     patients for whom they care;
       Whereas increased Federal and State investment is needed to 
     support programs such as the Nursing Workforce Development 
     Programs (authorized under title VIII of the Public Health 
     Service Act (42 U.S.C. 296 et seq.)), which bolster the 
     nursing workforce at all levels, to increase the number of 
     doctorally prepared faculty members, and to educate more 
     nurse research scientists who can discover new nursing care 
     models to improve the health status of the diverse population 
     of the United States;
       Whereas nurses touch the lives of the people of the United 
     States from birth to the end of life; and

[[Page 6405]]

       Whereas nursing has been voted as the most honest and 
     ethical profession in the United States for the past 13 
     years: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved, That the Senate--
       (1) supports the goals and ideals of National Nurses Week, 
     as founded by the American Nurses Association;
       (2) recognizes the significant contributions of nurses to 
     the health care system of the United States; and
       (3) encourages the people of the United States to observe 
     National Nurses Week with appropriate recognition, 
     ceremonies, activities, and programs to demonstrate the 
     importance of nurses to the everyday lives of patients.

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