S  E  N  A  T  E     R  E  S  O  L  U  T  I  O  N

RECOGNIZING THE WEEK OF MAY 6TH -- 12TH AS "NATIONAL NURSES WEEK 2000"

WHEREAS, The 2.6 million registered nurses in the United States comprise our nation's largest health care profession; and

WHEREAS, The depth and breadth of the registered nursing profession meets the different and emerging health care needs of the American population in a wide range of settings; and

WHEREAS, The American Nurses Association, as the voice for the registered nurses of this country, is working to chart a new course for a healthy nation that relies on increasing delivery of primary and preventive health care; and

WHEREAS, A renewed emphasis on primary and preventive health care will require the better utilization of all of our nation's registered nursing resources; and

WHEREAS, Professional nursing has been demonstrated to be an indispensable component in the safety and quality of care of hospitalized patients; and

WHEREAS, The demand for registered nursing services will be greater than ever because of the aging of the American population, the continuing expansion of life-sustaining technology, and the explosive growth of home health care services; and

WHEREAS, More qualified registered nurses will be needed in the future to meet the increasingly complex needs of health care consumers in this community; and

WHEREAS, The cost-effective, safe and quality health care services provided by registered nurses will be an ever important component of the U.S. health care delivery system in the future; and

WHEREAS, Along with the American Nurses Association, the Rhode Island State Nurses Association has declared the week May 6 - 12 as National Nurses Week 2000 with the theme "Nurses: Keeping the Care in Healthcare" in celebration of the ways in which registered nurses strive to provide safe and high quality patient care and map out the way to improve our health care system; now, therefore be it

RESOLVED, That this Senate of the State of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations ask that all residents of this state join in honoring the registered nurses who care for all of us; and be it further

RESOLVED, That the residents of the State of Rhode Island celebrate registered nursing's accomplishments and efforts to improve our health care system and show our appreciation for the nation's registered nurses not just during this week, but at every opportunity throughout the year; and be it further

RESOLVED, That the Secretary of State be and he is hereby authorized and directed to transmit a duly certified copy of this resolution to the Rhode Island State Nurses Association.