WASHINGTON– U.S. Senator Tom Udall (D-N.M.) joined a bipartisan Senate resolution announcing the designation of May 6 to 12, 2020 as National Nurses Week. The resolution honors the important contributions of America’s nurses to safe, high-quality health care, and the invaluable role that nurses play in patient care and support. Nurses are currently risking their health in the fight against COVID-19.
Nurses represent the single-largest component of health care professionals, with an estimated 4 million registered nurses in the United States. Currently, over 29,000 registered nurses, certified nurse midwives and licensed midwives are serving New Mexicans every day. Nurses in New Mexico and across the country have continued to work to care for patients throughout the pandemic, some doing so without adequate personal protective equipment or other supplies.
“Nurses are the backbone of our health care system and are putting their own lives on the line to help those most in need during this national crisis,” Udall said. “We are forever indebted to New Mexico’s nurses, and nurses across the country, who have been working around the clock to fight the coronavirus pandemic. I am fighting in the Senate to provide our nurses, health care providers and frontline workers with the equipment and funding they need to keep themselves safe while saving lives and keeping essential services running. Nurses play a crucial role in providing quality healthcare, and minimizing public health disparities to all New Mexicans, including hard-hit Tribal communities across our state. I am proud to stand with a bipartisan group of my colleagues to officially recognize this week-long appreciation for our nurses, who are nothing short of heroes. This week, and every week, let us express our appreciation for nurses in words and in deeds.”
Today’s resolution recognizes the importance of nurses in providing quality care, conducting medical research, tailoring care to each community, caring for individual needs, promoting healthy lifestyles and more—especially during an unprecedented time. The resolution also recognizes the need to strengthen nursing workforce development and education and calls upon all Americans to recognize National Nurses Week this year.
The resolution is cosponsored by 20 Senate colleagues: Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), Roger Wicker (R-Miss.), Jim Inhofe (R-Okla.), Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), Kevin Cramer (R-N.D.), Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Tom Cotton (R-Ark.), Kyrsten Sinema (D-Ariz.), Richard Burr (R-N.C.), Gary Peters (D-Mich.), Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-Miss.), Joe Manchin (D-W.V.), John Boozman (R-Ark.), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.), John Hoeven (R-N.D.), Kamala Harris (D-Calif.), Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.V.), Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.), Martha McSally (R-Ariz), Jacky Rosen (D-Nev.), and Steve Daines (R-Mont.).
A copy of the resolution can be found here.
