WHEREAS, nurse practitioners are advanced practice registered nurses who have master’s and often doctorate degrees, as well as extensive clinical training in the diagnosis and management of common and complex medical conditions; and

WHEREAS, nurse practitioners provide high-quality primary, acute, and specialty care services while focusing on health promotion, disease prevention, health education and counseling, guiding patients to make smarter health and lifestyle choices every day; and

WHEREAS, psychiatric mental health nurse practitioners support the increasing demand for mental health and substance abuse services by diagnosing and educating patients, prescribing medications, and managing treatment plans; and

WHEREAS, nurse practitioners work to expand access to care in underserved communities and reduce health care disparities; and

WHEREAS, there are more than 355,000 licensed nurse practitioners in the United States, and more than 14,000 licensed nurse practitioners in Virginia; and

WHEREAS, more than 2,600 nurse practitioners in Virginia are practicing with autonomous licenses, thereby increasing access to patient care in the Commonwealth; and

WHEREAS, the confidence that patients have in nurse practitioner-delivered health care is evidenced by the more than one billion visits made annually to nurse practitioners across the country; and

WHEREAS, more than five decades of research demonstrates the high quality of care provided by nurse practitioners; and

WHEREAS, better utilization of nurse practitioners through modernized state laws and improved system policies creates better health through a more accessible, efficient, cost-effective, and higher quality health care system; 

NOW, THEREFORE, I, Glenn Youngkin, do hereby recognize November 13-19, 2022, as NURSE PRACTITIONER WEEK in the COMMONWEALTH OF VIRGINIA, and I call this observance to the attention of all our citizens.