Whereas, beginning in 1991, National Nurses Week has been 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 in providing safe, high-quality health care; Whereas nurses serve on the front lines, risking their lives to treat the injured and sick during wartime, natural disasters, and public health emergencies; Whereas nurses are known to be patient advocates, acting to protect the lives of individuals under their care; Whereas nurses represent the largest single component of the health care profession, with an estimated population of more than 4,700,000 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 Future of Nursing reports of the Institute of Medicine and National Academy of Medicine have highlighted the need for the nursing profession to meet the call for leadership in a team-based delivery model; Whereas, when nurse staffing levels increase, the risk of patient complications and lengthy hospital stays decrease, resulting in cost savings; Whereas nurses are experienced researchers, and the work of nurses encompasses a wide scope of scientific inquiry, including clinical research, health systems and outcomes research, and nursing education research; Whereas nurses provide care that is sensitive to the cultures and customs of individuals across the United States; Whereas nurses are well-positioned to provide leadership to eliminate health care disparities that exist in the United States; Whereas nurses are the cornerstone of the public health infrastructure, promoting healthy lifestyles and educating communities on disease prevention and health promotion