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S3274
2026 -- S 3274
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LC006451
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STATE OF RHODE ISLAND
IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY
JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2026
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S E N A T E R E S O L U T I O N
CELEBRATING THE WEEK OF MAY 6TH THROUGH MAY 12TH OF 2026, AS
"NATIONAL NURSES WEEK" IN THE STATE OF RHODE ISLAND
Introduced By:
Senators Lauria, Felag, Tikoian, Appollonio, LaMountain, McKenney,
Sosnowski, Rogers, Famiglietti, and Burke
Date Introduced:
May 08, 2026
Referred To:
Placed on the Senate Consent Calendar
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WHEREAS, National Nurses Week is held on May 6th through May 12th in order to
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coincide with and celebrate Florence Nightingale's birthday on the 12th. She was a nurse who
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became famous for treating wounded soldiers during the Crimean War, and for her efforts in
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establishing nursing as a profession. She was affectionately known as "The Lady with the Lamp"
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because during the war, she made a lot of her ward rounds at night while carrying a lamp; and
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WHEREAS, This week is a time to acknowledge, honor, and express our heartfelt
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gratitude to Rhode Island's brave, dedicated, and determined nurses who day after day and month
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after month care for us; and
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WHEREAS, Registered nurses in the United States constitute this Nation's largest
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healthcare profession; and
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WHEREAS, The depth and breadth of the registered nursing profession met and
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exceeded the different and emerging healthcare needs of the American population during the
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COVID-19 pandemic and in a wide range of settings; and
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WHEREAS, The American Nurses Association, celebrating its 130th anniversary as the
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voice for registered nurses across this country, is working to chart a new course for a healthy
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Nation that relies on increasing delivery of primary and preventive healthcare and requiring better
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utilization of all our Nation's registered nursing resources; and
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WHEREAS, Professional nursing has demonstrated itself to be an indispensable
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component in providing safety and quality of care for hospitalized and non-hospitalized patients;
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and
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WHEREAS, The demand for registered nursing services is greater than ever, due to the
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aging of the American population, the continuing expansion of life-sustaining technologies, the
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explosive growth of home healthcare services, and the need to develop coordinated networking to
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prevent and contain new and emergent widespread infectious diseases; and
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WHEREAS, More qualified registered nurses will be needed in the future to meet the
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increasingly complex needs of healthcare consumers in this country and across the world; and
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WHEREAS, The cost-effective, safe, and high-quality healthcare services provided by
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registered nurses will be an increasingly important component of the United States healthcare
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delivery system in the future; now, therefore be it
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RESOLVED, That this Senate of the State of Rhode Island hereby joins the American
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Nurses Association in celebrating May 6th through May 12th, 2026, as “National Nurses Week”
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with its theme “The Power of Nurses” in appreciation of nurses’ unparalleled impact on our lives
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and their contributions to all aspects of health care, and be it further
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RESOLVED, That this Senate moreover urges all the residents of the State to join in
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honoring and thanking the registered nurses who have selflessly cared for us all, and to celebrate
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their efforts and accomplishments in improving our healthcare system, not just during this week,
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but at every opportunity throughout the year; and be it further
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RESOLVED, That the Secretary of State be and hereby is authorized and directed to
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transmit duly certified copies of this resolution to the American Nurses Association, the United
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Nurses & Allied Professionals, and the Rhode Island State Nurses Association.
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LC006451
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