2022 -- H 8223

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LC005896

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     STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2022

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H O U S E   R E S O L U T I O N

CELEBRATING THE WEEK OF MAY 6TH THROUGH MAY 12TH AS "NATIONAL

NURSES WEEK" IN THE STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

     

     Introduced By: Representatives Bennett, Shekarchi, Blazejewski, Casimiro, Baginski,
Potter, Phillips, Fenton-Fung, Speakman, and Carson

     Date Introduced: May 10, 2022

     Referred To: House read and passed

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     WHEREAS, National Nurses Week is held May 6th through May 12th in order to

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coincide with and celebrate Florence Nightingale's birthday on the 12th. She was a nurse who

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became famous for treating wounded soldiers during the Crimean War, and for her efforts in

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establishing nursing as a profession. She was affectionately known as "The Lady with the Lamp"

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because during the war, she made a lot of her ward rounds at night whilst carrying a lamp; and

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     WHEREAS, This week is a time to acknowledge, honor, and express our heartfelt

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gratitude to Rhode Island's brave, dedicated, and determined nurses who day after day and month

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after month care for us and particularly their long days and months of work on the frontlines

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throughout our struggles with the pandemic; and

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     WHEREAS, Registered nurses in the United States constitute this nation's largest

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healthcare profession; and

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     WHEREAS, The depth and breadth of the registered nursing profession have met and

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exceeded the different and emerging healthcare needs of the American population during this

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pandemic and in a wide range of settings; and

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     WHEREAS, The American Nurses Association, as the voice for registered nurses across

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this country, is working to chart a new course for a healthy nation that relies on increasing

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delivery of primary and preventive healthcare and requiring better utilization of all our nation's

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registered nursing resources; and

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     WHEREAS, Professional nursing has demonstrated itself to be an indispensable

 

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component in providing safety and quality of care for hospitalized patients and for playing a

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pivotal role in addressing the concerns and quelling community fears during the current

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pandemic; and

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     WHEREAS, The demand for registered nursing services is greater than ever, due to the

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aging of the American population, the continuing expansion of life-sustaining technologies, the

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explosive growth of home healthcare services, and the need to develop coordinated networking to

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prevent and contain new and emergent widespread infectious diseases; and

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     WHEREAS, More qualified registered nurses will be needed in the future to meet the

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increasingly complex needs of healthcare consumers in this country and across the world; and

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     WHEREAS, The cost-effective, safe, and high-quality healthcare services provided by

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registered nurses will be an increasingly important component of the United States healthcare

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delivery system in the future; now, therefore be it

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     RESOLVED, That this House of Representatives of the State of Rhode Island hereby

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joins the American Nurses Association in celebrating the week of May 6th through May 12th,

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2022, as "National Nurses Week"; and be it further

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     RESOLVED, That this House moreover urges all the residents of the State to join in

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honoring and thanking the registered nurses who have selflessly cared for us all, and to celebrate

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their efforts and accomplishments in improving our healthcare system, not just during this week,

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but at every opportunity throughout the year; and be it further

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     RESOLVED, That the Secretary of State be and hereby is authorized and directed to

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transmit a duly certified copy of this resolution to the American Nurses Association, the United

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Nurses & Allied Professionals, and the Rhode Island State Nurses Association.

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LC005896

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