Tennessee Yearbook 2020

TNA VIRTUAL CONFERENCE | 2020: YEAR OF THE NURSE
2020 Year of the Nurse
Whereas, the year 2020 was designated as The Year of the Nurse and Midwife by the World Health
Organization and the Year of the Nurse by the American Nurses Association;
Whereas, 2020 denotes the 200th Birthday of Florence Nightingale, the founder of modern nursing,
and saw the emergence of a new coronavirus (COVID-19) that resulted in a global pandemic and the
unprecedented challenges it presents;
Whereas, nurses have risen and continue to rise to the challenge of caring for patients on the front lines of
the COVID-19 pandemic;
Whereas, Tennessee was affected by the pandemic with 175,000 positive cases and 2,500 fatalities due to
this virus at the time this resolution was written in September;
Whereas, nurses are the largest single group of health care professionals and provided care from front line
testing tents to critical care COVID-19 units 24 hours per day, seven days per week;
Whereas, due to strict public health and infectious disease policies implemented to prevent the spread of
COVID-19, nurses filled the role of both caregiver and family member to support their patients due to no
visitor policies;
Whereas, nurses did not always have the proper personal protective equipment necessary to protect
themselves while caring for COVID-19 patients, but continued to care for and protect the lives of the
individuals under their care;
Whereas, COVID-19 caused an economic crisis for Tennesseans resulting in an estimated three to five years
to recover as stated by some economists;
Whereas, COVID-19 has affected all people, but has had a more significant impact on people of color and
lower socioeconomic status, nurses continuously educate communities on disease prevention and health
promotion; therefore, be it
Resolved, that the Tennessee Nurses Association will advocate with elected officials throughout our state
to continue to provide appropriate personal protective equipment to all nurses working with COVID-19
patients; and be it further
Resolved, that the Tennessee Nurses Association will stand with and support all nurses affected by the
economic impact that COVID-19 has had on their healthcare practice; and be it further
Resolved, that the Tennessee Nurses Association will support the ideals of the Year of the Nurse and
recognizes the significant contributions of nurses during the unprecedented COVID-19 Pandemic.
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