WHEREAS, perioperative nurses specialize in the care of patients immediately before, during, and after surgical and other invasive procedures; and
WHEREAS, serving in settings ranging from traditional hospital-based operating rooms to ambulatory surgery centers and physicians’ offices, perioperative nurses work to provide the safest care possible for patients undergoing surgical and other invasive procedures; and
WHEREAS, perioperative nurses assess individual patient needs prior to and throughout the surgical or invasive experience, develop, implement, and continuously evaluate a plan for the care of the patient, and prepare the operating room and patient for their procedure; and
WHEREAS, perioperative nurses are responsible for monitoring all aspects of the patient’s condition for the duration of each procedure and, through professional and patient-centered expertise, are responsible for care coordination after the procedure; and
WHEREAS, patients undergoing surgery and other invasive procedures and their loved ones rely on the skills, knowledge, and expertise of perioperative registered nurses, who uphold a long tradition of improving surgical safety and the quality of patient care; and
WHEREAS, Perioperative Nurse Week recognizes the contributions perioperative registered nurses make to patient safety and the opportunities and challenges facing the profession;
NOW, THEREFORE, I, ROY COOPER, Governor of the State of North Carolina, do hereby proclaim November 14-20, 2021, as “PERIOPERATIVE NURSES WEEK” in North Carolina, and commend its observance to all citizens.