Posting date: November 17, 2004

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Health Affairs, 10.1377/hlthaff.w4.526
Copyright © 2004 by Project HOPE

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Trends: New Signs Of A Strengthening U.S. Nurse Labor Market?

¹ Peter Buerhaus is the Valere Potter Professor and senior associate dean for research, Vanderbilt University School of Nursing, in Nashville, Tennessee.
² Douglas Staiger is a professor of economics, Department of Economics, Dartmouth College, in Hanover, New Hampshire, and a research associate with the National Bureau of Economic Research in Cambridge, Massachusetts.
³ David Auerbach is an associate analyst, Health and Human Resources Division, Congressional Budget Office, in Washington, D.C.

^*Corresponding author.

Abstract

Wage increases, relatively high national unemployment, and widespread private-sector initiatives aimed at increasing the number of people who become nurses has resulted in a second straight year of strong employment growth among registered nurses (RNs). In 2003, older women and, to a lesser extent, foreign-born RNs accounted for a large share of employment growth. We also observe unusually large employment growth from two new demographic groups: younger people, particularly women in their early thirties, and men. Yet, despite the increase in employment of nearly 185,000 hospital RNs since 2001, the evidence suggests that the current nurse shortage has not been eliminated.

Key Words: Consumer Issues, Health Professions Education, Hospitals, Nurses, Workforce Issues

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