By Staff
Associated Press
January 15, 2010

OAKLAND, Calif.—More than 7,000 nurses in the United States have volunteered to go to Haiti to help injured survivors of the devastating earthquake.

National Nurses United, a national union, says nurses nationwide have answered its appeal to travel to the island country. Spokesman Charles Idelson said Friday that more than 1,000 nurses have registered in California and about 500 in New York.

The Oakland-based union is trying to raise donations for supplies and is asking hospitals to grant the nurses paid time off.

Idelson says the union wants to begin sending nurses to a Miami command center this weekend so they'll be ready to leave for Haiti when transportation is arranged.

Idelson says most of Haiti's medical facilities are rubble and nurses may struggle finding places to work.