Facing what could be a crisis in their profession, a group of about 20 nurses took their concerns to U.S. Rep. Tom Latham, R-Ames, during a gathering Wednesday afternoon at the Fort Dodge Public Library.

They suggested more federal student aid to help more people become nurses, and just as importantly, nursing instructors.

Also, they pleaded for some relief from regulations that have forced them to expend precious hours on charts and computers when they could be caring for patients.

Latham convened the session to get more information as he seeks to write a bill addressing the nursing problem. He is holding five such gatherings across the state.

‘‘I think you underestimate your importance in the eyes of the public,’’ Latham told the group Wednesday.

He said that Iowa now has a shortage of 2,100 nurses that will swell to at least 9,000 nurses in a decade.

As the number of nurses shrinks, the demand for their services will go up as the baby boom generation ages and needs more medical care, according to Latham.

Neal Loes, a vice president of Mary Greeley Medical Center in Ames, said the profession is ‘‘at an unprecedented time’’ because the demand for nursing care will rise as the supply of nurses dwindles. Read more