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MDHHS Recognizes National Nurses Week, Highlights Leaders in the Field

For Immediate Release: May 4, 2015

LANSING, Mich. – As part of National Nurses Week, the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS), Office of Nursing Policy is joining the American Nurses Association and American Nurses Association-Michigan to celebrate the 2015 National Nurses Week. This year’s theme, Ethical Practice. Quality Care., recognizes the role nurses play in advocating for the health, safety, and rights of patients and nurses.

National Nurses Week begins each year on May 6, Nurses Day, and ends on May 12, Florence Nightingale's birthday. The purpose of the week-long celebration is to raise awareness of the value of nursing and help educate the public about the role nurses play in meeting the health care needs of the American people.

“This week provides us with the opportunity to recognize the work of Michigan’s registered nurses and their dedication to promoting the health of our state,” said Nick Lyon, director of MDHHS. “Each and every day nurses demonstrate immeasurable commitment and compassion in providing healthcare to our residents, thereby maintaining an integral part of our healthcare system.”

As part of the recognition events, throughout the month of May MDHHS will highlight various nurses and their involvement in efforts to improve the safety and quality of patient care online at http://www.michigan.gov/mdch/0,4612,7-132-2946_66405---,00.html. Additionally, beginning May 6, an exhibit in the Michigan State Capitol Building in Lansing will display the diverse work of a sample of leading nurses in Michigan. The exhibit will be available through May 12, 2015, in Room 53 of the state Capitol, the exhibit room.

Today, there are more than 124,000 registered nurses in Michigan. Nurses practice in a diverse array of healthcare and educational settings and are differentiated from other providers by their approach to patient care and training. Nurses perform independently and inter-professionally within their scope of practice and dependent upon their training and their advanced and specialized credentials.

There are currently 70 schools in Michigan offering nursing programs. A list of Michigan Board of Nursing approved programs can be found on the Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs website at www.michigan.gov/lara/0,4601,7-154-35299_63294_27529_27542-182977--,00.html.

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