Declare Nurses Week Statewide

Assembly Resolution No. 1131 BY: M. of A. Gunther MEMORIALIZING Governor Andrew M. Cuomo to proclaim May 6-12, 2018, as Nurses Week in the State of New York WHEREAS, It is the sense of this Legislative Body to memorialize Governor Andrew M. Cuomo to proclaim May 6-12, 2018, as Nurses Week in the State of New York, in conjunction with the observance of National Nurses Week; and WHEREAS, May 6th is known as National Nurses Day, and May 12th is the birthday of Florence Nightingale, the founder of modern nursing; and WHEREAS, The nearly 2.9 million registered nurses in the United States comprise our nation's largest health care profession with New York State accounting for over 256,000 of those registered nurses; 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 more important component of the United States health care delivery system in the future; and WHEREAS, Along with the American Nurses Association, the New York State Nurses Association has declared the week of May 6-12, 2018, as National Nurses Week with the theme being "Nurses: Inspire, Innovate, Influence"; and WHEREAS, Often described as an art and a science, nursing is a profession which embraces dedicated people with varied interests, strengths and passions because of the many opportunities the profession offers; now, therefore, be it RESOLVED, That this Legislative Body pause in its deliberations to memorialize Governor Andrew M. Cuomo to proclaim May 6-12, 2018, as Nurses Week in the State of New York; and be it further RESOLVED, That this Legislative Body pause further to celebrate registered nursing's accomplishments and efforts to improve our health care system and to 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 a copy of this Resolution, suitably engrossed, be transmitted to The Honorable Andrew M. Cuomo, Governor of the State of New York.