Nursing celebrates National Nurses Week The work of America's 2.9 million registered nurses to save lives and to maintain the health of millions of individuals is the focus of this year's National Nurses Week, "Nurses: Making a Difference Every Day." National Nurses Week continues through Monday, May 12, the birthday of Florence Nightingale, founder of nursing as a modern profession. The effect of the nursing shortage is long-lasting and increasing in severity, which will influence nearly every area of healthcare. Patients rely on nurses for personal, quality care delivered in their own communities – a service which is threatened when there is a nursing shortage. What would your health care experience be like without nurses? “Today's registered nurses are devoted care givers as well as responsible professionals,” said Chandice Covington, dean of nursing. “During National Nurses Week, we honor the men and women who chose this challenging and rewarding career. Nurses are a cornerstone of our health care system and need to be skilled, appreciated and empowered to enjoy long-term careers.” Invited panel members include Chandice Covington, dean of the College of Nursing; Patricia Moulton, professor at the School of Medicine and Health Sciences; Carla Sletten, director of nursing at Northwood Deaconess Health Center; Shelly Peterson, president of the North Dakota Long Term Care Association; Connie Kalanek, executive director of the North Dakota Board of Nursing; Terry Watne, associate chief nurse executive of Altru Health Systems; Julie Traynor, director of the Dakota Nursing Program; Ruth Gladen, ASN program coordinator at North Dakota State College of Science; and Suzie McShane, nursing program coordinator at Bismarck State College. National Nurses Week is devoted to highlighting the diverse ways in which registered nurses, the largest health care profession, are working to improve health care. From bedside nursing in hospitals and long-term care facilities to the halls of research institutions, state legislatures, and Congress, the depth and breadth of the nursing profession is meeting the expanding health care needs of American society. The American Nurses Association is the only full-service professional organization representing the interests of the nation's 2.9 million Registered Nurses (RNs) through its 54 constituent member associations. The ANA advances the nursing profession by fostering high standards of nursing practice, promoting the economic and general welfare of nurses in the workplace, projecting a positive and realistic view of nursing, and by lobbying the Congress and regulatory agencies on health care issues affecting nurses and the public. For more information on National Nurses Week, go to www.nursingworld.org/pressrel/nnw. -- Becky Cournia, Alumni & Development Officer, College of Nursing, beckycournia@mail.und.edu, 777-4526