Purpose

This week’s graded topics relate to the following Course Outcomes (COs).

• CO 2: Apply research principles to the interpretation of the content of published research studies. (PO 4 & 8)
• CO 4: Evaluate published nursing research for credibility and significance related to evidence-based practice. (PO 4 & 8)
• CO 5: Recognize the role of research findings in evidence-based practice. (PO 7 & 8)

Discussion

Access the following information. You may read the PDF online or download it.

American Nurses Association. (2014). Fast facts: The nursing workforce 2014: Growth, salaries, education, demographics & trends. ANA. Retrieved from https://www.nursingworld.org/globalassets/practiceandpolicy/workforce/fastfacts_nsgjobgrowth-salaries_updated8-25-15  (Links to an external site.)

• Review the data presented in the ANA Fast Facts and describe some of the key attributes/characteristics of this sample of the nursing workforce.
• Discuss some of the data that you found interesting; include what you believe the purpose (intent) of ANA sharing these results.
• The instruments and tools that we use to collect data need to be reliable and valid. Define these terms and explain the importance of each. Share one way that can be used to collect data that you were not aware of or familiar with.

Aug-14 1

FAST FACTS

The Nursing Workforce 2014:

Growth, Salaries, Education, Demographics & Trends

RN Job Growth Rate (new and replacement)–By State/Region, 2012-2022

)

 14 states project an annual growth rate of 20% or more, with 8 in the West

and Texas (TX, UT, AZ, CO, ID, AK, MT, WA).

 30 states are projected to have annual growth rates of 15

percent

or more (38 states when including those whose latest

figures are 2010-2020).

 10 states are projected to account for half of the job growth:

TX, CA, FL, NY, PA, OH, NC, IL, MI, MA.

Source: U.S. Dept. of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics

Note: KY, ME, MI, NC, RI, TX, WI, WV had figures available only for 2010-2020

Overall New Job Growth and Replacement Needs (2012-2022)*

 Nurse employment to increase from 2.86 million to 3.44 million jobs (20.2%)

 Projected number of new RN jobs: 574,400.

 Current RNs projected to retire/leave labor force: 555,100.

 Total number of new RNs needed (new jobs and replacements): 1.13 million

*Figures include RNs and advanced practice registered nurses (APRNs).

Source: U.S. Dept. of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics

Median RN Salaries (Median means half of RNs are above, half below)

National median salary for RNs (2013): $66,200

The highest median salaries are in the Northeast and West. Of the 17 states

(and Washington, DC) with salaries above the national median ($66,200), 9

were West (CA, HI, AK, OR, NV, WA, AZ, CO, TX) and 8 were Northeast (MA,

NJ, DC, CT, NY, RI, MD, DE).

10 states with the lowest median salaries (lowest first): SD, IA, WV, AL, MS,

AR, ND, NE, KS, TN.
Source: U.S. Dept. of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics

Aug-14 2

Average (Mean) RN and APRN Salaries

 Registered nurses: $68,910

 Nurse practitioners: $95,070

 All advanced practice registered nurses: $109,352

 Nursing instructors and teachers, post-secondary: $70,200

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment Statistics

RN Median Salaries in Top 50 Metro Areas

 The top 5 highest salaries are in California

 The highest salary (San Francisco, $131,800) is two

times or more higher than the bottom 25 areas

 19 of the top 20 areas are in the West (including

Houston) or Northeast.

 Of the bottom 25 areas, 13 are in the South and 9 are

in the Midwest/Central (including KY, OK).

 7 East Coast metro areas rank in the top 20 (Boston, New York, Hartford,

Washington, DC, Providence, Baltimore, Philadelphia).

 The 10 largest metro areas (in order) do not reflect highest median salaries:

1. New York (7
th

highest salary)

2. Los Angeles (4
th
)

3. Chicago (21
st
)

4. Dallas (22
nd

)

5. Houston (12
th
)

6. Philadelphia (16
th
)

7. Washington, DC (14
th
)

8. Miami (45
th
)

9. Atlanta (27
th
)

10.Boston (6
th
)

Source: U.S. Dept. of Bureau of Labor Statistics

Occupations with the most annual openings (2012-2022)

 RN ranks first of all occupations requiring at least an associate’s degree for

entry: 105,260. (Only two others are projected to increase more than 10,000

per year: pre-school teachers, dental hygienists.)

Source: U.S. Dept. of Bureau of Labor Statistics

Occupations with the largest employment

 For all education levels, RNs rank 5
th
(2012): 2.8 million.

Source: U.S. Dept. of Bureau of Labor Statistics

Highest Concentration of RNs per 100,000 Population, in order

 22 states and Washington, DC have more than 1 nurse for every 100 people.

The 15 states with highest concentration, in order: SD, MA, NE, ME, RI, DE,

ND, MT, PA, IA, OH, MN, WI, MO, TN.

Aug-14 3

 Of the 17 states with the lowest concentration (less than 0.9 per 100

residents), 13 are Mountain/West and Texas: (CO, WA, OR, AK, AZ, NM, WY,

TX, CA, NV, HI, UT, ID)

Source: Health Resources and Services Administration, The U.S. Nursing Workforce: Trends in Supply

and Education

Rural/Urban RNs

 445,000 RNs (15.7% of RNs) live in rural areas. (17% of the U.S. population

lives in rural areas).

 Per 100 residents, the U.S. has 0.85 RNs in rural

areas and 0.93 RNs in urban areas.

 Urban RNs have higher levels of education

compared to rural RNs. Urban: 46.6% have a

bachelor’s, 11.4% a master’s or doctoral degree. Rural: 33.9% and 6.8%,

respectively.

Source: Health Resources and Services Administration, The U.S. Nursing Workforce: Trends in Supply
and Education

Age

 Average: 50

 Percentage of working nurses over age 50: 53 percent

Source: The National Council of State Boards of Nursing and The Forum of State Nursing Workforce

Centers 2013 National Workforce Survey of RNs

Percentage of Nurses

Under Age 40

1980 54%

1992 44.8%

2000 31.7%

2004 26.6%

2008 29.5%

Source: Health Resources and Services Administration, National Sample Survey of RNs

Gender

 Percentage of nurses licensed between 2010 and 2013 who were male: 11

percent

Aug-14 4

 Percentage of nurses licensed before 2000 who were male: 5 percent

Source: The National Council of State Boards of Nursing and The Forum of State Nursing Workforce

Centers 2013 National Workforce Survey of RNs.

 Percentage of male nurses: 9 percent

 Increase in proportion of males in the RN Workforce, 2000-2010: 12.5%

Source: Health Resources and Services Administration, The U.S. Nursing Workforce: Trends in Supply
and Education

Nursing Education

Licensure Since 2000 – Average number passing exam annually

 2010-2013 (4 years): 143,809

o Average annual increase from 2005-2009: 22.8%

 2005-2009 (5 years): 117,141

o Average annual increase from 2000-2004: 58.3%

 2000-2004 (5 years): 74,021

Source: National Council of State Boards of Nursing

Nursing Schools

 Job offers at time of graduation for nurses earning a bachelor’s (BSN)

degree: 59%

o For nursing master’s degree graduates: 67%

 New BSN graduates employed in nursing 4-to-6 months after graduation:

89%

 RN job offers at graduation by region:

 South: 68%

 Midwest: 59%

 Northeast: 50%

 West: 47%

 Job offer at time of graduation for new college graduates, all professions:

29.3%

Source: American Association of Colleges of Nursing

Hiring Preferences for Nursing School Graduates

 Require new hires to have a minimum of a bachelor’s degree (BSN):

43.7% of hospitals and other healthcare settings

Aug-14 5

 Express strong preference for BSN graduates: 78.6%

Source: American Association of Colleges of Nursing

Nursing Education – Institute of Medicine Goal:

 80% of RNs to hold a bachelor’s degree or higher by 2020

Source: Institute of Medicine, “The Future of Nursing”

 Currently, 55% of the RN workforce holds a bachelor’s or higher

Source: Health Resources and Services Administration, The U.S. Nursing Workforce: Trends in Supply
and Education

Nursing School Capacity/Faculty Shortage

 Qualified applicants turned away from nursing baccalaureate and graduate

programs (2012): 79,659

 National nurse faculty vacancy rate (2013): 8.3 percent

 Percentage of full-time nursing faculty age 50 and over: 72 percent (Source:

NCSBN 2013 National Workforce Survey of RNs)

 Average age of doctorally-prepared nurse faculty holding title of “professor”

(2013): 61.3

 Average age of master’s degree-prepared nurse faculty holding title of

“professor” (2013): 57.2

Source: American Association of Colleges of Nursing