,,iii  #aadth ,,congress  #ast ,session 
,s4 ,,res4 #agh  ,,in ,,the ,,senate    
,,of ,,the ,,united ,,states  ,may #ab1 
#bjae,mr4 ,merkley submitted the        
following resolution2 which was referred
 to the ,committee on ,health1          
,education1 ,labor1 and ,pensions       
,,resolution  ,supporting the goals and 
ideals of ,national ,nurses ,week from  
,may #f1 #bjae1 through ,may #ab1 #bjae4
  ,whereas1 since #aiia1 ,national      
,nurses ,week is celebrated annually    
from ,may #f1 also known as ,national   
,recognition ,day for ,nurses1 through  
,may #ab1 the birthday of ,florence     
,nightingale1 the founder of modern     
nursing2 ,whereas ,national ,nurses     
,week is a time of year to reflect on   
the important contributions that nurses 
make to provide safe1 high-quality      
health care2 ,whereas nurses are known  
to be patient advocates1 acting         
fearlessly to protect the lives of those
 under the care of nurses2 ,whereas     
nurses represent the largest single     

component of the health care profession1
 with an estimated population of        
#c1ajj1jjj registered nurses in the     
,united ,states2 ,whereas nurses are    
leading in the delivery of quality care 
in a transformed health care system that
 improves patient outcomes and safety2  
,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 model2 ,whereas1    
when nurse staffing levels increase1 the
 risk of patient complications and      
lengthy hospital stays decreases1       
resulting in cost savings2 ,whereas     
nurses are experienced researchers1 and 
the work of nurses encompasses a wide   
scope of scientific inquiry1 including  
clinical research1 health systems and   
outcomes research1 and nursing education
 research2 ,whereas nurses provide      
culturally and ethnically competent care
 and are educated to be sensitive to the
 regional and community customs of      

persons needing care2 ,whereas nurses   
are well-positioned to provide          
leadership to eliminate health care     
disparities that exist in the ,united   
,states2 ,whereas nurses are the        
cornerstone of the public health        
infrastructure1 promoting healthy       
lifestyles and educating communities on 
disease prevention and health promotion2
 ,whereas nurses are strong allies to   
,congress as they help inform1 educate1 
and work closely with legislators to    
improve the education1 retention1       
recruitment1 and practice of all nurses 
and1 more importantly1 the health and   
safety of the patients for whom they    
care2 ,whereas increased ,federal and   
,state investment is needed to support  
programs such as the ,nursing ,workforce
 ,development ,programs 7authorized     
under title ,,viii of the ,public       
,health ,service ,act 7#db ,u4,s4,c4    
#bif et seq4771 which bolster the       
nursing workforce at all levels1 to     
increase the number of doctorally       

prepared faculty members1 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 ,states2     
,whereas nurses touch the lives of the  
people of the ,united ,states from birth
 to the end of life2 and ,whereas       
nursing has been voted as the most      
honest and ethical profession in the    
,united ,states for the past #ac years3 
,now1 therefore1 be it  ,that the       
,senate-- 7#a7 supports the goals and   
ideals of ,national ,nurses ,week1 as   
founded by the ,american ,nurses        
,association2  7#b7 recognizes the      
significant contributions of nurses to  
the health care system of the ,united   
,states2 and  7#c7 encourages the people
 of the ,united ,states to observe      
,national ,nurses ,week with appropriate
 recognition1 ceremonies1 activities1   
and programs to demonstrate the         
importance of nurses to the everyday    
lives of patients4