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This National Nurses Week, MDHHS recognizes nurses' contributions to promoting safe healthcare environments
May 10, 2016
For Immediate Release: May 10, 2016
LANSING, Mich. – In an effort to help raise public awareness about the roles nurses play in meeting the healthcare needs of Michigan residents, the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services is joining the American Nurses Association and American Nurses Association-Michigan to celebrate the 2016 National Nurses Week.
“Through their commitment to serving others, registered nurses in Michigan promote and help maintain the health of our residents,” said Nick Lyon, director of the MDHHS. “This week, and throughout the year, it’s important we take the time to thank registered nurses everywhere for the care and support they provide all year round.”
This year’s theme, Safety 360 Taking Responsibility Together, recognizes the role nurses play in advocating for and contributing to creating a culture of safety in their healthcare practice environments. These collective efforts ensure not only the safety of patients, but also of providers.
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.
During the month of May, 2015, the Office of Nursing Policy and ANA-Michigan sponsored the “Safe Patient Handling and Mobility Conference and Webinar,” which may be viewed at https://mi.train.org/DesktopShell.aspx?tabId=189.
Today, there are more than 160,000 licensed 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.htm.
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