On the recordAugust 2, 2011
Mr. President, today Senator Alexander and I rise to recognize over 250 Nurse-Managed Health Clinics in a Resolution designating the week of October 2, 2011, as National Nurse-Managed Health Clinic Week. Nurse-managed health clinics provide primary care and wellness services to a diverse population through all age groups and ethnicities. These clinics provide care to over two million patients in underserved or vulnerable areas across this country. Nurse- managed health clinics offer a full range of accessible and affordable health services, including primary care, health promotion, and disease prevention to low-income, as well as un-and under insured patients, regardless of their ability to pay. The care is primarily provided by nurse practitioners working in partnership with an interdisciplinary team of health professions including clinical nurse specialists, registered nurses, health educators, community outreach workers, health care students, and collaborating physicians. As recognized by the Institute of Medicine's ``Future of Nursing'' report, the nurse managed clinics play a critical role in community-based preventive health care and have done so since their inception three decades ago. A Senate resolution will help pave the way for this effort. We ask our colleagues to join us in supporting this tribute to Nurse-Managed Health Clinics. ____________________
