WHEREAS, there are nearly 120,000 dedicated registered nurses in North Carolina; and
WHEREAS, registered nurses meet the emerging health care needs of North Carolinians and serve as an indispensable component in the safety and quality of patient care; and
WHEREAS, our families, communities, and individuals depend on registered nurses and other critical health care workers to provide quality care, often in our most vulnerable moments in life; and
WHEREAS, throughout the pandemic, demand for registered nurses has grown, and so many have stepped up to serve during this national health crisis; and
WHEREAS, North Carolina’s registered nurses have been on the frontlines of the pandemic from day one, working and making daily sacrifices to save lives and care for people in hospitals, long term care facilities, and other essential care settings; and
WHEREAS, nurses have been essential in the massive effort to administer vaccines to every eligible North Carolinian and have worked around the clock to get shots in millions of arms; and
WHEREAS, now, more than ever, registered nurses deserve North Carolinians’ deepest gratitude for their tireless commitment to our health, wellness, and care; and
WHEREAS, the State of North Carolina joins in celebrating Nurses Week, and commends the more than four million nurses who protect and promote the health of their communities nationwide;
NOW, THEREFORE, I, ROY COOPER, Governor of the State of North Carolina, do hereby proclaim May 6 – 12, 2021, as “NORTH CAROLINA NURSES WEEK” in North Carolina, and commend its observance to all citizens.