Whereas since 1991, National Nurses Week is celebrated annually from May 6, also known as National Recognition Day for Nurses, through May 12, the birthday of Florence Nightingale, the founder of modern nursing; Whereas National Nurses Week is a time of year to reflect on the important contributions that nurses make to provide safe, high-quality health care; Whereas nurses are known to be patient advocates, acting fearlessly to protect the lives of those under their care; Whereas nurses represent the largest segment of the health care workforce, with an estimated population of 3,600,000 registered nurses in the United States; Whereas nurses are leading in the delivery of quality care in a transformed health care system that improves patient outcomes and safety; Whereas the Institute of Medicine’s Future of Nursing report has called for the nursing profession to meet the call for leadership in a team-based delivery model; Whereas nurses consistently deliver high-quality care with positive patient outcomes when they are allowed to work to the full extent of their education and training; Whereas when nurse staffing levels increase, the risk of patient complications and length of hospital stays decrease, resulting in cost savings; Whereas nurses are experienced researchers, and their work encompasses a wide scope of scientific inquiry including clinical research, health systems and outcomes research, and nursing education research; Whereas nurses provide culturally and ethnically competent care and are educated to be sensitive to regional and community customs of persons needing care; Whereas nurses are well-positioned to provide leadership to eliminate health care disparities that exist in the Nation; Whereas nurses are the cornerstone of the public health infrastructure, promoting healthy lifestyles and educating communities on disease prevention and health promotion