Congressional observers say that a legislative solution to the Nation's nursing crisis is at least a few years away. Congress had been considering nursing legislation, yet the Attack on America has forced congressional attention elsewhere. At present, Federal assistance on the nursing front likely will not be considered until sometime in 2002.

"Given the shortened calendar we expect, the prospect for doing something in a hurry is not very good," according to Rep. John Boehner (R-OH). Added Rep. Carolyn McCarthy, a New York Democrat and former nurse, "I understand that this is going to be put off." McCarthy favors several proposed bills which address the nursing shortage.

Surveys indicate that hospitals and other medical facilities need well over 100,000 new nurses in order to meet demand. However, as nurses themselves age, many retire, making the problem more desperate. In addition, many younger nurses are leaving the profession as poor working conditions make the field less attractive. Many nurses complain about safety problems and excessive overtime. "An exhausted nurse is more likely to commit a medical error than a nurse who is not being required to work a 16 to 20 hour shift," said a spokesperson for the American Nursing Association.

Proposed legislative solutions include possible tax breaks for nurses and federal grants to those who agree to work in areas particularly hard hit by the shortage.