H 8540

2026 -- H 8540
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LC003180
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  STATE  OF        RHODE  ISLAND
  IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY
  JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2026
  ____________
  HOUSE RESOLUTION
   COMMEMORATING THE WEEK OF MAY 6TH THROUGH MAY 12TH OF 2026, AS
  "NATIONAL NURSES WEEK" IN THE STATE OF RHODE ISLAND
  Introduced By: Representatives Bennett, Shekarchi, Blazejewski, Chippendale, Hopkins,
  Solomon, Shanley, Donovan, Spears, and McNamara
  Date Introduced: May 12, 2026
  Referred To: House read and passed
1WHEREAS, Nurses in the United States constitute our nation's largest healthcare
2 profession; and
3WHEREAS, The depth and breadth of nursing meets the different and emerging
4 healthcare needs of the American population in a wide range of settings, including the frontline of
5 pandemics; and
6WHEREAS, The American Nursing Association is celebrating its 130th Anniversary, and
7 the Rhode Island State Nurses Association is celebrating its 121st Anniversary. Together they
8 serve as the voices for nurses in the United States, and the State of Rhode Island, working
9 together tirelessly to chart a new course for a healthy nation that relies on increasing access to
10 primary and preventative health care, and better utilization of all our nation's nursing resources;
11 and
12WHEREAS, Professional nursing is an indispensable component of the safety and quality
13 of care of hospitalized and non-hospitalized patients; and
14WHEREAS, The demand for nursing services will be greater than ever because of the
15 aging of the American population, emerging health challenges, the continuing expansion of life-
16 sustaining technologies, and the explosive growth of home healthcare services; and
17WHEREAS, More qualified nurses are needed in the future to meet the increasingly
18 complex needs of healthcare consumers in this community; and
19WHEREAS, The cost-effective, safe, and high-quality healthcare services provided by
1 nurses will be an increasingly important component of the United States healthcare delivery
2 system in the future; and
3WHEREAS, Along with the American Nurses Association, the Rhode Island State
4 Nurses Association has declared that the theme for 2026 for "National Nurses Week" is "The
5 Power of Nurses", with appreciation for nurses' unparalleled impact and their contributions to
6 health care, and an open invitation to celebrate the power of nurses to enrich our lives and the
7 world we live in; now, therefore be it
8RESOLVED, That this House of Representatives of the State of Rhode Island hereby
9 honors all nurses and joyously celebrates the commemoration of the week of May 6th through
10 May 12th as "National Nurses Week" in the State of Rhode Island; and be it further
11RESOLVED, That this House furthermore urges all Rhode Island residents to celebrate
12 the accomplishments and tireless work provided by our national and Rhode Island nurses, not
13 only during this special week but throughout the year; and be it further
14RESOLVED, That the Secretary of State be and hereby is authorized and directed to
15 transmit a duly certified copy of this resolution to the Rhode Island State Nurses Association.
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