(Riverton, WY) – Riverton Mayor Tim Hancock signed a proclamation this week designating May 6-12 as 2025 Nurses Week in Riverton, with the theme “The Power of Nurses.”
“Registered nurses in Wyoming constitute our state’s largest healthcare profession,” Hancock said, reading from the proclamation. “The depth and breadth of the registered nursing profession meets the different and emerging healthcare needs of the Wyoming population in a wide range of settings. … The Wyoming Nurses Association, as the voice for registered nurses in this state, is working to chart a new course for a healthy nation that relies on increasing access to primary and preventative healthcare and better utilization of all our state’s registered nursing resources, (and) professional nursing is an indispensable component of the safety and quality of care of hospitalized and non-hospitalized patients.”
In the future, the proclamation says, “the demand for registered nursing services will be greater than ever because of the aging of the Wyoming population, emerging health challenges, the continuing expansion of life-sustaining technologies and the explosive growth of home healthcare services.”
“More qualified registered nurses are needed in the future to meet the increasingly complex needs of healthcare … in this community,” Hancock read. “The cost effective, safe and high-quality healthcare services provided by registered nurses will be an increasingly important component of the Wyoming healthcare delivery system in the future. … The residents of Wyoming celebrate registered nurses’ accomplishments and efforts to improve our healthcare system and show our appreciation for the state’s registered nurses – not just during this week, but at every opportunity throughout the year.”
There are currently 466 licensed nurses in Fremont County, Central Wyoming College Nursing Professor Amy Hernandez said before Hancock read the proclamation – and more students will be graduating from nursing programs soon, including current nursing students Aiyiana Moss and Gabby Ward, who attended this week’s Riverton City Council meeting along with Hernandez and nurse Paula Kihn.
“The majority of individuals who enter the nursing profession have altruistic intentions and are passionate about helping others in acute care settings,” Hernandez said, reading from a blog post about 2025 Nurses Week. “Being a nurse is a tenuous juggling act where nurses must make hundreds of decisions throughout their shift to coordinate the care of multiple patients with varying diseases and conditions.”
In a community setting, Hernandez said, nurses “often address factors that are beyond their control such as food or housing insecurity, inadequate education or lack of healthcare access.”
“In every capacity, nurses are responsible for the safety and well-being of their patients, ensuring they receive comprehensive care founded on the latest evidence-based practices,” she read. “The power of nurses is sometimes unquantifiable and often goes unrecognized. But it remains an invaluable asset to all. … Thank you for recognizing the importance of nurses in our community tonight.”
