Every year, our hospitals need more registered nurses. Between 2004 and 2014, more than 1.2 million nursing positions will become open, either to meet the growing demand for medical care or to replace nurses who retire or leave the field. Hospital administrators are voicing concerns about a nurse shortage—some are even declaring a crisis in nurse staffing. Nurses themselves are increasingly worried about the impact of understaffing on the quality of patient care. How are nurses’ unions addressing these issues?