September 01, 2026
WHEREAS, Clinical Nurse Specialists (CNSs) are advanced practice registered nurses who hold graduate-level education and specialized expertise that positions them among the most highly trained clinicians in the American healthcare system; and,
WHEREAS, the CNS role was first conceptualized through the foundational work of Dr. Hildegard Peplau, born September 1, 1909, whose landmark theory of interpersonal relations in nursing established the intellectual basis for advanced clinical nursing practice and continues to shape the profession more than a century after her birth; and,
WHEREAS, approximately 89,000 CNSs practice across the United States, working in hospitals, health systems, ambulatory clinics, behavioral health facilities, long-term care settings, and community-based organizations, often in the communities where clinical need is greatest; and,
WHEREAS, CNSs are the only advanced practice registered nurses whose scope of practice is defined across three distinct spheres of influence: direct patient and family care; the nursing workforce through mentorship, education, and clinical coaching; and the broader healthcare system through quality improvement, policy, and organizational transformation; and,
WHEREAS, CNSs are essential architects of evidence-based practice in clinical settings, translating the best available science into bedside care, unit protocols, and institutional policy, and serving as a critical bridge between nursing research and clinical implementation; and,
WHEREAS, CNSs lead quality improvement initiatives across Michigan's health systems, including within safety-net hospitals and rural facilities where advanced clinical leadership is most scarce and most consequential for patient outcomes; and,
WHEREAS, CNSs are instrumental in developing Michigan's nursing workforce, providing expert clinical supervision, continuing education, and specialty certification preparation to registered nurses across the state, strengthening retention and advancing the knowledge base of the bedside workforce; and,
WHEREAS, the National Association of Clinical Nurse Specialists (NACNS) established National Clinical Nurse Specialist Recognition Week to commemorate Dr. Peplau's legacy and to bring public visibility to a role that, despite its scale and impact, remains largely unknown to the general public and underrepresented in health policy conversations;
NOW, THEREFORE, I, GRETCHEN WHITEMER, Governor of the State of Michigan, do hereby proclaim September 1-7, 2026, as CLINICAL NURSE SPECIALIST RECOGNITION WEEK in the state of Michigan, urge all citizens, healthcare organizations, educational institutions, and community leaders to recognize the profound and often invisible contributions of Clinical Nurse Specialists to the health and wellbeing of Michigan families.
