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Governor proclaims May 6-12 as National Nurses Week
Governor Togiola Tulafono has proclaimed May 6 – May 12 as National Nurses Week in American Samoa.
National Nurses Week, which officially kicked off with a special prayer service held on Sunday, May 4, includes a week full of activities to honor the territory’s nurses.
The theme for this year’s event is “Nurses: Making a Difference Everyday.”
According to the proclamation, the nearly 2.9 million registered nurses in the United States, together with the nearly 140 licensed nurses in American Samoa, comprise the largest health care profession.
“The depth and breadth of the nursing profession meets the different and emerging health care needs of the American Samoa population in a wise range of settings, and more qualified nurses will be needed in the future to meet the increasingly complex needs of health care consumers in this community,” Governor Togiola said.
“Through their skills, knowledge, judgment, and compassion, nurses are able to make a positive difference in the lives of their patients,” Togiola continued. He added that the cost effective, safe, and quality health care services provided by nurses will be an ever more important component of the health care delivery system in the future.
The Governor said National Nurses Week is to celebrate the ways in which nurses strive to provide safe and high quality patient care, and map out the way to improve our health care system.
“I call upon the residents of American Samoa to join me in honoring the nurses who care for all of us, celebrate the nurses’ accomplishments and efforts to improve our health care system, and show our appreciation for our nurses not just this week, but at every opportunity throughout the year,” the Governor concluded.
National Nurses Week includes many activities for local nurses, including an ula and gift exchange, the LBJ Nursing Services Awards Ceremony, a camp at Onesosopo Park, and the Nurses Ball set to be held at the Governor H. Rex Lee Auditorium (Fale Laumei) in Utulei on Thursday, May 8 at 7 p.m.
Other activities include a cricket and volleyball game and competitions for banners, essays, and poetry (Samoan and English).
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