FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE/May 5, 1998 CONTACT:Sara Foer [202/651-7023]; Joan Meehan [202/651-7020]; http://www.nursingworld.org ANA Salutes Nurses in Congress and the Executive BranchTipper Gore Serves as Honorary Chairperson for National Nurses Week TributeWashington, D.C., May 5, 1998 -- To celebrate the work of the 2.6 million registered nurses throughout the United States and particularly those who play key roles in the highest levels of government -- Congress and the Executive Branch -- the American Nurses Association (ANA) is hosting a reception on May 6, the first day of National Nurses Week. More than 200 guests are expected to attend the recognition reception being held from 6 to 8 p.m. at the Reserve Officers Association in Washington, D.C. Some of the attendees include Secretary of Health and Human Services Donna E. Shalala; Congressman Maurice Hinchey from New York, who sponsored the Patient Safety Act of 1997; Congressman Mark Foley of Florida and Congressman Ron Klink of Pennsylvania, who co-sponsored the Patient Safety and Health Care Whistleblower Protection Act of 1998; and Congressman John Dingell from Michigan, who sponsored the Patients' Bill of Rights; and, among the 20 honorees, Congresswomen Lois Capps of California; Eddie Bernice Johnson from Texas; and Carolyn McCarthy from New York, all three former nurses. (A full list of honorees is attached.) "As the professional association representing the nation's registered nurses, ANA is proud that the ranks of nurses in public policy roles are growing at a fast pace, resulting in the provision of a much-needed perspective on critical issues affecting our nation's population," stated ANA President Beverly L. Malone, PhD, RN, FAAN. "Nurses who have leadership roles and who shape and influence public policy are poised to effect tremendous change for the good of our nation." In a letter accepting the role of the Honorary Chairperson for this event honoring key nurse leaders, Tipper Gore wrote, "Nurses play such a vital role in our health care system. Your caring and compassion serve as a source of inspiration to us all. This dedication is impressive and I praise you for your devotion." National Nurses Week begins on May 6, marked as RN Recognition Day, and ends on May 12, the birthday of Florence Nightingale, founder of nursing as a modern profession. During this week, registered nurses in all parts of the country will be honored and recognized for their contributions to ensuring safe, quality care for all consumers. Using the theme "Nursing: Healthcare With a Human Touch," the ANA and its 53 constituent associations will highlight the diverse ways in which registered nurses, the largest health care profession, are working to improve health care. From acute bedside nursing to long term care, 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 nation's 2.6 million registered urses through its 53 constituent associations. ANA advances the nursing profession by fostering high standards of nursing practice, promoting the economic and general welfare of nurses in the work place, projecting a positive and realistic view of nursing, and lobbying the Congress and regulatory agencies on health care issues affecting nurses and the public. 1998 National Nurses Week Salute to Nurses in Congress and the Executive BranchHonoreesBarbara Aranda-Naranjo, PhD, RN
Charlotte Faye Beason, EdD, RN
Virginia Trotter Betts, JD, MSN, RN, FAAN
Representative Lois G. Capps, MA, RN (D-22nd- CA)
Colleen Conway-Welch, PhD, RN, FAAN
Commander Mary Pat Couig, MPH, RN, FAAN
Rhetaugh Graves Dumas, PhD, RN, FAAN
Rear Admiral Joan M. Engel, MSN, RN, FAAN
Pat Ford-Roegner, MSW, RN
Denise Geolot, PhD, RN, FAAN
Patricia A. Grady, PhD, RN, FAAN
Elise Handelman, RN, COHN-S, Med
Mary Harper, PhD, RN, FAAN
Captain Kathleen Hastings, JD, MPH, RN, FAAN
Ada Sue Hinshaw, PhD, RN, FAAN
Representative Eddie Bernice Johnson, RN (D-30th TX)
F. Louise Kiger, MN, RN
Beverly L. Malone, PhD, RN, FAAN
Rear Admiral Carolyn Beth Mazzella, MS, MPA, RN, CNA
Representative Carolyn McCarthy, LPN (D-4th NY)
Maureen Miller, MPH, RN
Helen M. Miramontes, MS, RN, FAAN
Kathryn Lothschuetz Montgomery, PhD, RN
Patricia Montoya, MA, RN
Ann Page, MPH, RN
Frances E. Page, MPH, RN
Marta Prado, RN
Colonel Constance L. (Garrett) Scott, RN
Brigadier General Bettye Simmons, MSN, BSN, RN
Brigadier General Linda J. Stierle, RN, BSN, MSN, CNA
Sara Torres, PhD, RN, FAAN
Nancy M. Valentine, PhD, RN, FAAN
Mary Wakefield, PhD, RN, FAAN
Captain Gale White, MS, RN
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