March 27, 2004.

ALBANY, N.Y. March 27, 2004 – Warning that the nursing profession's ability to attract and retain nurses "is on the critical list," New York State United Teachers today called on the Governor and Legislature to immediately approve a comprehensive plan to address the state's worsening nursing shortage.

NYSUT President Thomas Y. Hobart Jr. said the 500,000-member union wants the state to fund a series of incentives to encourage more students to enter nursing; keep more nurses in the profession; and help train more veteran nurses to serve as nurse faculty.

NYSUT, the state's largest union, represents nurses in public schools, hospitals and other health care settings.

"The nursing profession's ability to recruit and retain nurses is on the critical list and needs intensive care," Hobart said. "There are simply not enough licensed nurses working in New York to deliver direct care to patients. Low pay, poor working conditions and mandatory overtime are driving many highly qualified nurses out of the profession."

"Patient care is being jeopardized," added Anne Goldman, a RN who is a member of NYSUT's Board of Directors. "We need the state to initiate programs that provide incentives for students to enter nursing, and for qualified, experienced nurses to remain in the health care profession."

She added, "This is a double-edged shortage. New York needs more nurses and it needs more nurses to teach nurses."

To encourage more students to enter the nursing profession, NYSUT Executive Vice President Alan B. Lubin said the union wants more public schools to emphasize nursing during their career development days. In addition, NYSUT is calling for the creation of a professional nursing scholarship program, and loan forgiveness and grants to students who choose nursing as a career and agree to deliver care in New York for a set period of time.

"Retention is critical — and the best way to retain nurses is through higher salaries and better working conditions," Lubin said, noting there are more than 100,000 licensed registered nurses in New York who are not working in the various settings in the health sector. "We need to keep qualified nurses working, and bring other nurses back into the profession."

In addition to fighting for higher salaries and better benefits, NYSUT is also working to improve working conditions for nurses. NYSUT is pressing for enforceable guidelines on safe nurse-to-patient ratios and for requiring hospitals and health care facilities to disclose staffing ratios and the mix of licensed and unlicensed personnel to the public. To further protect patients — and improve working conditions — NYSUT wants lawmakers to prohibit mandatory overtime, which many nurses say wreaks havoc with their personal lives and puts patients at risk.

The State Education Department estimated in September 2003 that 38,000 of New York's registered nurses — or nearly 23 percent — would leave the profession in the next five years, contributing to a shortage of about 21,000 nurses in 2007.

Adding to the sense of urgency is the average age of New York's registered nurses: 47 years. For every nurse under age 30 there are two nurses age 60 and over. Meanwhile, the average nursing faculty member is currently 55 years old.

NYSUT is strongly backing legislation introduced by Sen. Ken LaValle, R-Suffolk, and Assembly members Gary Pretlow, D-Westchester, and Deidre Scozzafava, R-Jefferson, that would take strong steps toward ending New York's nursing shortage.

NYSUT, the largest union in New York State, represents more than 500,000 classroom teachers and other school employees and retirees; academic and professional faculty at the state's community colleges, State University of New York and City University of New York; and other education and health professionals. NYSUT is affiliated with the American Federation of Teachers, AFL-CIO.

NYSUT, the largest union in New York State, represents more than 500,000 classroom teachers and other school employees and retirees; academic and professional faculty at the state's community colleges, State University of New York and City University of New York; and other education and health professionals. NYSUT is affiliated with the American Federation of Teachers, AFL-CIO.

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