SENATE RESOLUTION NO. 32
	WHEREAS, The Senate of the State of Texas is pleased to 
recognize certified registered nurse anesthetists for their 
outstanding work in providing anesthesia services and to 
proclaim January 23 through 29, 2005, as Nurse Anesthetist Week; 
and
	WHEREAS, Certified registered nurse anesthetists have 
enjoyed a distinguished record of service since the 1880s, when 
they became the first health care professionals to specialize in 
this critically important medical field; and
	WHEREAS, During the 2005 Nurse Anesthetist Week, we honor 
these highly skilled individuals, who have practiced their 
profession in our state for over 110 years; the approximately 
1,400 nurse anesthetists currently working in Texas are the sole 
providers of anesthesia services to over three million rural 
patients; and
	WHEREAS, Committed to educating more nurse anesthetists, 
our state is proud to be the home to graduate training programs at 
five different institutions; and
	WHEREAS, An outstanding representative of this
field, Lieutenant Colonel Joseph Helminiak, is the chief
nurse anesthetist at Brooke Army Medical Center;
Lieutenant Colonel Helminiak served ably in Operation Iraqi 
Freedom as a member of a neurosurgical Fast Team, providing 
anesthesia for more than 140 trauma craniotomies as well as for 
other trauma surgeries; and

	WHEREAS, Nurse Anesthetists perform critically important 
work as members of surgical teams every day, and their 
contributions to the health care field are indeed laudable and 
deserving of legislative recognition; now, therefore, be it
	RESOLVED, That the Senate of the State of Texas,
79th Legislature, hereby commend certified registered nurse 
anesthetists for their exemplary achievements and their 
contributions to medicine and extend to them best wishes for a 
memorable 2005 Nurse Anesthetist Week; and, be it further
	RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution be prepared for 
them as an expression of esteem from the Texas Senate.
                                                                       Wentworth




________________________________ 
    President of the Senate
 
    I hereby certify that the 
above Resolution was adopted by 
the Senate on January 26, 2005.



________________________________ 
    Secretary of the Senate



________________________________ 
     Member, Texas Senate