Congresswoman Carolyn McCarthy introduced the Nurse Faculty Higher Education Act today. The legislation seeks to alleviate the nursing shortage by creating a pilot program to increase the number of graduate educated nurse faculty.

"America's nursing shortage, in part, stems from the lack of qualified instructors in our nursing schools," said McCarthy. "My legislation will provide scholarships to nurses who seek advanced degrees in order to become faculty in an accredited nursing program."

McCarthy, who worked as a nurse for more than 30 years before being elected to Congress, cited a 2004 survey by the American Association of the College of Nursing revealing that U.S. nursing schools had to turn away 32,000 qualified applicants. Many of these schools rejected applicants simply because of an insufficient number of available faculty.

In addition, 200 to 300 doctoral level nursing faculty will be eligible for retirement within seven years, just as more than one million new nurses will be needed.

McCarthy concluded, "The nursing shortage must be addressed now, or it will become a full fledged public health crisis."

McCarthy's bill will also provide grants to hospitals and health facilities to support institutions permitting qualified nurses to earn a salary while they continue their education. Nurses participating in this program would continue to work part-time or flexible schedules to accommodate their schooling.

Upon completion of the program, each nurse will be required to teach two years for each year of support received under the program.

The Nurse Faculty Higher Education Act is supported by the American Association of Colleges of Nursing, the American Organization of Nurse Executives, the American Nurses Association, the National League for Nursing, the Emergency Nurses Association, the American Hospital Association, the Federation of American Hospitals and the United American Nurses.