November 08, 2026
WHEREAS, nurse practitioners (NPs) have served a critical role as trusted health care providers for decades; and,
WHEREAS, NPs work to expand health care access in communities across our state, promote health equity in care and improve health outcomes for all; and,
WHEREAS patients depend on the more than 461,000 licensed NPs in the United States to diagnose, manage and treat their chronic and acute health care conditions; and,
WHEREAS, NPs provide high-quality primary, acute and specialty health care services while emphasizing health promotion, disease prevention, health education and counseling, partnering with patients to improve their health; and,
WHEREAS, the confidence that patients have in NP-delivered health care is evidenced by the nearly 1 billion visits made annually to NPs across the country; and,
WHEREAS, more than five decades of research demonstrates the high quality of care provided by NPs; and,
WHEREAS, better utilization of NPs through modernized state laws and improved policies creates better health through a more accessible, efficient, cost-effective and higher-quality health care system; and,
WHEREAS, more than half the nation — including 27 states, the District of Columbia, Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands — has adopted Full Practice Authority legislation, offering patients full and direct access to the outstanding care provided by NPs; and,
WHEREAS, leading governmental and policy entities, including the National Academy of Medicine, National Council of State Boards of Nursing, National Governors Association and Federal Trade Commission, have taken notice of the benefits of providing patients full and direct access to NP-delivered care; and,
WHEREAS, NPs serve as the provider of choice for many and play a pivotal role in the health and welfare of our communities; and,
WHEREAS, Michigan is proud to recognize and honor the service of NPs to our state;
NOW, THEREFORE, I, Gretchen Whitmer, governor of Michigan, hereby declare November 8–14, 2026, as Nurse Practitioner Week.
