U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Xavier Becerra highlighted the work of nurses, who make up the largest part of the healthcare workforce, in a news release commemorating National Nurses Week.

Becerra said nurses are the heart of the healthcare system, providing key skills on the front line as a touchpoint for patients, colleagues and communities. 

“I have met with countless nurses around the country – and around the conference room table in my office – to better understand their experiences and ambitions,” Becerra said in the news release. “I also work with nurses, as we are fortunate to have many among the HHS workforce, those providing patient care at our health care facilities, and those in our leadership who provide guidance that shapes our work at the Department.”

While there are more than four million registered nurses, nearly a million licensed practical nurses and more than 300,000 nurse practitioners across the country, "there is still room for more nurses – and indeed a need for more – to overcome longstanding staffing shortages and meet growing demand in the future," Becerra said in the news release. “It is an exhausting and challenging career to be sure, but also a satisfying and meaningful one.”

Becerra noted in the news release the Biden-Harris administration continues to support the nursing profession with investments in nursing training grants, loans and scholarships.

“In recognition of National Nurses Week, we celebrate the endless efforts of nurses to enhance our nation’s health and wellbeing, and we thank them for their service,” Becerra said in the HHS news release.