Hospitals and nursing facilities around the country are getting more dramatic in their efforts to attract new employees in the face of a worsening nurse shortage, according to a recent report.

Congress should enact reforms that bolster the long-term care workforce and help address the nursing shortage, the American Health Care Association told lawmakers Monday.

Long-term care providers, who frequently suffer employee turnover rates near 100% annually, have three new resources designed to reduce workforce turnover. The new tools, which were announced Monday by the Better Jobs Better Care Coalition, also can help providers find new employees and create a better work environment for the staff they already have, researchers said.

Registered nurses are the least satisfied healthcare professionals, according to Press Ganey's Check-Up Report: Employee and Nurse Perspectives on American Health Care Organizations.

Nursing homes may want to turn their attention to hospitals, which are trying a new method to retain and recruit nurses. Instead of offering financial incentives, they're improving job satisfaction, according to The Washington Post.

Authors from several healthcare organizations have developed a code to protect the rights of foreign-educated nurses, including those who work in long-term care.

Another state is putting limits on the numbers of hours nurses have to work. New York Gov. David Paterson (D) recently signed legislation banning mandatory overtime for registered nurses and licensed practical nurses in nursing homes, hospitals and other healthcare facilities.

Admission and graduation rates from U.S. nursing schools increased in 2006, according to an annual survey by the National League of Nursing. The poll of diploma- and degree-granting institutions revealed a 5% hike in new students and 8.5% rise in degrees granted.

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