Reps. Vander Veen, Taub, Garfield, Palmer, Wenke, Hune, Ball, Emmons, Stewart, Newell, Pearce, Marleau, Caul, Caswell, Kahn, Moolenaar, Proos, Stahl, Green, Gosselin, Steil, Brandenburg, Accavitti, Adamini, Baxter, Bieda, Brown, Byrnes, Byrum, Casperson, Clack, Condino, Dillon, Donigan, Drolet, Elsenheimer, Espinoza, Farhat, Farrah, Gillard, Gleason, Gonzales, Hansen, Hildenbrand, Huizenga, Jones, Kehrl, Kolb, Kooiman, Kathleen Law, Lemmons, III, Lemmons, Jr., Lipsey, Mayes, McDowell, Meyer, Miller, Mortimer, Murphy, Nitz, Nofs, Pastor, Pavlov, Phillips, Plakas, Polidori, Sak, Schuitmaker, Shaffer, Sheltrown, Alma Smith, Spade, Tobocman, Vagnozzi, Ward, Waters, Wojno and Zelenko offered the following resolution:

            House Resolution No. 68.

            A resolution recognizing the week of May 6-12, 2005, as National Nurses’ Week in the state of Michigan.

            Whereas, Over 117,000 registered nurses in Michigan represent the largest group of licensed health care professionals in Michigan; and

            Whereas, The Michigan Nurses Association represents, promotes and advocates for registered nurses and quality patient outcomes.  They work to ensure safe patient care, and to improve health status for all Michigan citizens; and

            Whereas, The depth and breadth of the responsibilities of registered nurses meets the different and emerging health care needs of Michigan’s citizens in a wide range of settings, and provides the most direct and continuous care to populations of every age and in every environment; and

            Whereas, Registered nurses are an indispensable component for ensuring the safety and quality of care for hospitalized patients, and improving the health status of all Michigan citizens; and

Whereas, The demand for registered nurses 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, The development and maintenance of a vital nursing workforce in Michigan is of concern to all of our residents and more registered nurses are needed to meet the increasingly complex needs of health care consumers in Michigan; and

Whereas, The cost-effective, safe and quality health care services provided by registered nurses is one of the most important components of Michigan’s health care delivery system; and

Whereas, The Michigan Nurses Association celebrates the week of May 6-12 as National Nurses’ Week in recognition of the ways in which registered nurses strive to ensure safe and high quality patient care in all care settings; and

Whereas, National Nurses’ Week provides an excellent opportunity to extend our appreciation and gratitude to the registered nurses of Michigan who serve twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year throughout the state; now therefore, be it

Resolved by the House of Representatives, That members of this legislative body recognize the week of May 6-12, 2005, as National Nurses’ Week in the state of Michigan.  We ask that all residents of Michigan join in honoring Michigan’s registered nurses who strive to ensure safe patient care for all of us; be it further

Resolved, That the residents of Michigan celebrate the accomplishments and efforts that registered nurses do to improve the safety and quality of our health care system, and show our appreciation for the registered nurses not just during this week, but at every opportunity throughout the year.