By JoAnne Powers

A new report from the Center for Health Workforce Studies in Albany confirms that registered nurses in the state of New York are persistantly in short supply. The nursing shortage in New York reflects a similar trend in nursing nationwide.

Nancy Webber of the New York State Nurses Association says that the nursing shortage is the direct result of poor working conditions, including mandatory overtime and poor nurse-to-patient ratios:

Tape (0:18) "Not only were they being forced sometimes to work overtime without any warning, they were feeling that they were in danger of losing their licenses or being sued for malpractice if they were not able to provide the care that patients needed. It's not only the nurses that are suffering, if you will, but I think patients are as well."

The union is attempting to address these issues by negotiating staffing ratios in contracts with employers. They are also attacking the problem with two bills in the state legislature.

Tape (0:12): "One would be a ban in mandatory overtime for nurses, except in an emergency. The other would be just simply requiring hospitals and nursing homes to disclose to the public what their staffing levels are."

California is currently the only state to mandate specific nurse-to-patient staffing ratios.