Throughout the state, nurses are being forced to work marathon shifts that can span up to 16 hours straight, due to staffing shortages. Hospitals, nursing homes and home care agencies are having difficulty retaining qualified staff. Inadequate staff and high turnover are linked with a decrease in the quality of care. We must ensure that every New Yorker receives the best care available in their time of need.

The New York state Department of Labor projects a need for 171,300 registered nurses and 55,000 licensed practical nurses by 2008, an increase of 16,700 and 5,700 positions, respectively, from 1998. Meanwhile, a study conducted by the State University of New York at Albany found that the number of new registered nurses in New York has decreased by 21 percent in four years.

After holding a series of eight roundtable discussions throughout the state, the New York state Assembly Nursing Shortage Task Force made 18 recommendations to help ease the shortage, seven relating to recruitment, 11 for retention.

Key recommendations for nurse recruitment include:

* Making scholarships and stipends available to students pursuing a nursing degree.

* Supporting a coordinated campaign to stimulate young people's interest in nursing as a career.

* Expanding on-site child care for nursing students with children.

The other recommendations include:

* Offering more flexible nursing education programs to meet the scheduling needs of students.

* Establishing a state grant program to publicize successful innovations in nursing and nurse management.

* Creating a pilot project to help advance the development of more clinical training for student nurses in order to reduce the need for so much "on the job" training.

To help keep more nurses on the job, key recommendations include:

* Better pay for nurses

* Restricting mandatory overtime and settling staffing guidelines.

* Streamlining paperwork requirements.

* Establishing a portable retirement system for nurses.

The other recommendations for retaining nurses include improving continuing education, especially in technology; on-site child care; a Department of Health review of the state nursing home inspection process; and establishing a tax credit for working RNs and nurse educators.

Some of the recommendations could be implemented administratively; others would require legislation. Working with my colleagues, I am preparing a package of legislation to advance the recommendations.

Nurses play an essential role in the health care system in New York state. Without their services, thousands of New Yorkers would not receive the necessary care they deserve. Now is the time to address this nursing shortage problem and provide incentives for the younger generation to join this rewarding profession.