Sponsored by:
Senator STEPHEN M. SWEENEY
District 3 (Cumberland, Gloucester and Salem)
Senator LORETTA WEINBERG
District 37 (Bergen)
Senator JIM WHELAN
District 2 (Atlantic)
Senator DAWN MARIE ADDIEGO
District 8 (Atlantic, Burlington and Camden)
Co-Sponsored by:
Senators Madden and Ruiz
SYNOPSIS
Designates May 6 through May 12, 2013 as "National Nurses' Week" in New Jersey.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
As introduced.
A Senate Resolution designating the week of May 6 through May 12, 2013 as "National Nurses' Week" in New Jersey.
Whereas, The week of May 6 through May 12, 2013 is recognized as National Nurses' Week. The week honors a respected profession that provides essential health care to patients in hospitals, private residences, nursing homes, clinics, and other settings; and
Whereas, Nurses work in challenging environments every day, often for long hours, in order to provide quality health care to all in need; and
Whereas, In the next 10 years, a nursing shortage is forecast for the State of New Jersey and the rest of the country. Additional recruitment, training, and support for people currently working as nurses, and those who are interested in pursuing nursing as a profession, are needed to address this projected shortage; and
Whereas, A changing environment for health care workers, including, but not limited to, health care mergers, health care reform, and the emergence of for-profit hospitals and surgical centers, have placed new responsibilities and additional challenges on the nursing profession; and
Whereas, Nurses not only need our appreciation but should be afforded the right to speak up for quality patient care and appropriate staffing levels in health care facilities. Nurses should also have to right to speak to the current challenges facing the nursing profession; and
Whereas, A nurse's responsibility to speak up for patients and the care they receive is included in the American Nurses Association Code of Ethics; and
Whereas, Nurses and other union members working in the health care industry have been instrumental in promoting innovative laws and modern standards protecting community hospitals, and have put community health care needs ahead of profits; and
Whereas, The voices of nurses as frontline caregivers are invaluable to policy makers within the health care industry and in the halls of the State House of Trenton; and
Whereas, The right of nurses to bargain for fair and safe working conditions, appropriate staffing levels in health care facilities, and quality health care is essential to the safety and well-being of the patients they serve; and
Whereas, It is fitting for the Senate to honor the nurses of this State and the entire nursing profession during National Nurses' Week; now, therefore,
Be It Resolved by the Senate of the State of New Jersey:
1. May 6 through May 12, 2013 is designated as "National Nurses' Week" in New Jersey to honor all the nurses who work tirelessly to provide quality health care to the citizens of this State, to acknowledge the importance of protecting and supporting the rights of nurses to speak up for their patients and their profession, and to recognize that the right of nurses to bargain for fair and safe working conditions, appropriate staffing levels in health care facilities, and quality health care is essential to the safety and well-being of the patients they serve.
2. The Governor shall issue a proclamation and call upon public officials, State lawmakers, and the citizens of this State to observe "National Nurses' Week" with appropriate events and activities.
STATEMENT
This resolution designates May 6 through May 12, 2013 as "National Nurses' Week" in New Jersey to honor all the nurses who work tirelessly to provide quality health care to the citizens of this State, to acknowledge the importance of protecting and supporting the rights of nurses to speak up for their patients and their profession, and to recognize that the right of nurses to bargain for fair and safe working conditions, appropriate staffing levels in health care facilities, and quality health care is essential to the safety and well-being of the patients they serve.