Charleston Leader

U.S. Senator Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.) and a bipartisan group of her Congressional colleagues have reintroduced a resolution recognizing National Nurses Week. The resolution, led by U.S. Senators Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.) and Roger Wicker, (R-Miss.), as well as U.S. Representatives Dave Joyce (R-Ohio-14), Suzanne Bonamici (D-Ore.-01), Lauren Underwood (D-Ill.-14), and Jen Kiggans (R-Va.-02), establishes National Nurses Week 2024 from May 6th through May 12th.

Senator Capito expressed her support for the nursing workforce, stating, “I have long worked to bolster our nursing workforce, secure resources for our nursing training programs, and help create programs at universities that didn’t have an established nursing school.” She added that the resolution recognizes the diligence, dedication, and hard work of nurses in West Virginia and across the country.

As of 2024, there are more than 4.7 million registered nurses in the United States. However, the sector faces challenges including a continuing shortage of nurses, burnout, mental health struggles and the need for safer working conditions. According to research from the National Council of State Boards of Nursing, about 100,000 registered nurses left the workforce in 2021 and 2022 due to stress, burnout, and retirement. The same research suggests that by 2027, almost 900,000 registered nurses intend to leave the workforce.

The resolution acknowledges the indispensable role nurses play in delivering quality care, advancing medical research, tailoring services to diverse communities and individuals, addressing public health disparities and promoting healthy behaviors.

In addition to Senators Capito, Merkley and Wicker; Senators Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.), Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Cory A. Booker (D-N.J.), Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.), Kevin Cramer (R-N.D.), Steve Daines (R-Mont.), Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.), Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), John Hickenlooper (D-Colo.), Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii), Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.), Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.), Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), Gary Peters (D-Mich.), Mike Rounds (R-S.D.), Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.), Kyrsten Sinema (I-Ariz.), Tina Smith (D-Minn.), Debbie Stabenow (D-Mich.), Thom Tillis (R-N.C.), Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) and Peter Welch (D-Vt.) have also cosponsored the resolution.

The full text of the resolution can be found here.