Governor Proclaims National Nurse Practitioner Week 2023

WHEREAS, nurse practitioners serve as trusted health care providers for patients in North Carolina, working to expand access to care in underserved communities, end health disparities, and combat systemic racism in health care; and

WHEREAS, patients depend on the more than 355,000 licensed nurse practitioners in the United States, and 13,227 in North Carolina, to promote health equity as they provide high-quality primary, acute, and specialty health care services, emphasizing health promotion, disease prevention, health education, and counseling while guiding patients to make smarter health and lifestyle choices every day; and

WHEREAS, better utilization of nurse practitioners 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, 26 states have implemented Full Practice Authority for nurse practitioners, measures that help them meet the increasing demand for health care; 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 nurse practitioner care; and

WHEREAS, North Carolina is proud to recognize and honor the service of nurse practitioners and the countless contributions they have made over the past half century and will continue to make to the health and well-being of the residents in our state;

NOW, THEREFORE, I, ROY COOPER, Governor of the State of North Carolina, do hereby proclaim November 13 – 19, 2023, as “NATIONAL NURSE PRACTITIONER WEEK” in North Carolina, and commend its observance to all citizens.