NCSBN and The Forum Publish National Nursing Workforce Survey of Registered Nurses

CHICAGO, IL--(Marketwired - Jul 11, 2013) - The National Council of State Boards of Nursing (NCSBN) and The National Forum of State Nursing Workforce Centers (The Forum) announces the publication of the National Nursing Workforce Survey of Registered Nurses, a new study that provides a comprehensive snapshot of the U.S. nursing workforce in 2013.

For many years researchers have predicted an impending shortfall of qualified registered nurses (RNs). An aging nursing workforce and aging U.S. population needing more highly skilled nursing care, coupled with the implementation of the Affordable Care Act that will insure more than 30 million U.S. residents, calls into question whether there will be enough RNs to meet the escalating demand. An adequate supply of RNs in the workforce is one of the essential components of a safe and effective health care system. The results of this survey are especially valuable in that the data obtained can be used to project possible shortages and assist in the allocation of resources, program development decisions, and recruitment efforts in both the health care system and education sectors.

Previously, national workforce data were collected by the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), which conducted a National Sample Survey of Registered Nurses every four years. The last such survey was done in 2008; therefore no current data are available. Stepping in to fill the void NCSBN and The Forum conducted this study between January and March 2013. A total of 42,294 RNs participated in the study, with representation from all 50 states, the District of Columbia and four U.S. territories (American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands and Virgin Islands).

In addition to offering a description of the current nursing workforce, the data obtained from this study allows for an examination of trends as compared to past HRSA studies. The data also serve as a baseline for future research. Each board of nursing and state workforce center will be provided with their respective state data so that they can analyze and report the findings within their state. 

The article, "Highlights of National Workforce Survey of Registered Nurses," is available in the July 2013 issue of the Journal of Nursing Regulation (JNR). The full report The National Council of State Boards of Nursing and The Forum of State Nursing Workforce Centers 2013 National Workforce Survey of RNs is available as supplement to JNR and can be purchased at http://jnr.metapress.com/content/p90877mvm811/.

About NCSBN
The National Council of State Boards of Nursing (NCSBN) is a not-for-profit organization whose members include the boards of nursing in the 50 states, the District of Columbia and four U.S. territories -- American Samoa, Guam, Northern Mariana Islands and the Virgin Islands. There are also 12 associate members. Mission: NCSBN provides education, service and research through collaborative leadership to promote evidence-based regulatory excellence for patient safety and public protection.

About The National Forum of State Nursing Workforce Centers
The Forum of State Nursing Workforce Centers is comprised of the nursing workforce entities across the US that focus on addressing the nursing shortage within each respective state; collectively the Forum contributes to the national effort to assure an adequate supply of appropriately educated nurses to meet the health needs of the US population. The Forum supports the advancement of new as well as existing nurse workforce initiatives and shares best practices in nursing workforce research, workforce planning, workforce development, and formulation of workforce policy. Members share information through publications, via annual conferences, and on our website, http://NursingWorkforceCenters.org.