Two medical facilities in New York reportedly took the initiative in fighting a nursing shortage that has become increasingly pronounced nationwide.

A recent report in Long Island's Suffolk Times newspaper describes how the two facilities, a hospital and a medical center, decided in 2006 that they needed to do something about the nursing shortage after one was forced to bring in eight nurses from India to address a staffing shortfall.

As a solution, the facilities reached an arrangement with nearby Suffolk County Community College where they would select nursing candidates who would agree to work in the area for up to four years. In return, the students had their books and tuition costs paid for, and also received help with work study assignments during their two-year programs.

For those who are interested in pursuing nursing careers, this is just one sign of how well-trained healthcare professionals are increasingly in demand. Many parts of the country have been having difficulty meeting their nurse staffing needs, partially because of factors like turnover and a growing number of workers who are approaching retirement age.

Along with nurses, another area of the industry facing increased demand is nurse educators. In fact, some members of Congress have introduced legislation aimed at recruiting more nursing school teachers as part of their overall effort to resolve the national nursing shortage.