NJ AJR185

Designates May of each year as "Nurse's Month" in New Jersey to recognize nurses' dedication to patient health and their contributions to the medical field

Requests the Governor to annually issue a proclamation calling on public officials and citizens to observe "Nurse's Month" with appropriate activities and programs

Recognizes New Jersey has over 141,000 active registered nurses, 13,500 nurse practitioners, and 23,400 licensed practical nurses

Notes that 88.5% of the nursing workforce is women and that nursing is the largest healthcare profession in the U.S. with approximately 4.7 million registered nurses

Acknowledges workforce challenges, citing a 2023 report that New Jersey could lose 10,000 nurses in coming years and 9 out of 10 nursing programs cannot enroll additional students due to faculty shortages