A new report released yesterday by the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations (JCAHO) reveals that a nationwide lack of nurses may have contributed to 25 percent of recorded deaths and injuries in hospitals since 1996. In its study, the Commission examined 1,609 reports of patient deaths and injuries in the past five years, discovering that in one in four cases, a diminished nursing staff was a factor.

The United States' nursing shortage has been a concern in the healthcare industry for years. An estimated 126,000 vacant nursing positions exist today. Enrollment in nursing programs has fallen for the last five years and fell over 5% in 2000 alone. Meanwhile, the average age of U.S. nurses is 44, and many older nurses are looking forward to retirement, an event that will further reduce the nursing workforce. Cost-cutting measures and straining workloads are driving nurses out of the business. The Commission is calling for improved nursing education systems and better incentives for nurses to stay in the field.