[The evolution of nursing shortage and strategies to face it: a longitudinal study in 11 hospitals].

Aim: To describe the perception of the evolution of nursing shortage from 2000 to 2009 according to Nursing Coordinators and the strategies to face it.

Methods: Nursing coordinators of 11 hospitals or districts of Friuli Venezia Giulia, Trentino Alto Adige and Veneto regions were interviewed in 2000, 2004 and 2009 to collect data and assess their perception on nurses' shortage.

Results: In the first interview the medium gap between staff planned and in service was -5.