Assemblywoman Aileen Gunther (D-Forestburgh) announced that a resolution she sponsored to proclaim Nurses Week in the State of New York from May 6 to 12, 2023, has passed in the Assembly.

“As a former nurse, I know firsthand the strength, skill and discipline needed to perform this essential work,” said Gunther. “Our dedicated nurses work long, difficult hours delivering vital, often lifesaving, care to the most vulnerable New Yorkers. Though the inherent struggles of the job are worth it to pursue our passions and help as many people as we can, the career path is currently suffering due to overwork, lack of workplace protections and insufficient wages. Home health care services are rapidly expanding, and medical expertise is becoming more in demand as our state’s population ages. We must do everything we can to ensure that our nurses are well cared for and can not only live but thrive doing the work that they love.”

Nurses Week falls between May 6, which is recognized as National Nurses Day, and May 12, the birthday of Florence Nightingale, founder of modern nursing. At 2.9 million strong, registered nurses comprise the largest health care profession in the country, including 256,000 of these professionals in New York.