[NRSKarenRN]

From PA Nurses Enews:


2004 National Sample Survey of Registered Nurses

The National Sample Survey of Registered Nurses (NSSRN) is the Nation's most extensive and comprehensive source of statistics on registered nurses (RNs) with current licenses to practice in the United States whether or not they are employed in nursing. Government agencies, legislative bodies and health professionals have used data from previous national sample surveys of registered nurses to inform workforce policies. Responses are used to estimate the number of RNs living and working in the United States; the educational background of RNs, including State or country of initial education and specialty area; employment status including type of employment setting, position level and salary; geographic distribution; and personal characteristics including gender, racial/ethnic background, age, family status, and job satisfaction.

The Department of Health and Human Services, Health Resources and Services Administration, Bureau of Health Professions previously conducted seven sample surveys. Reports from the surveys, conducted in 1977, 1980, 1984, 1988, 1992, l996 and 2000, have been published and made available to those involved in health care planning and evaluation as well as to the public. The eighth NSSRN began data collection in March 2004 and responses were received through November 2005. This report provides preliminary findings from the current survey.







Of the total estimated population of nurses in 2004, 58.3 percent (1,696,916) were working full-time, almost 25 percent (724,544) were working part-time in 2004, and 16.8 percent were not employed in nursing. Although the number of nurses working full-time has increased from 1,510,318 in 1996 to 1,696,916 in 2004, the change in the number and percent of nurses working full-time from 2000 to 2004 was slight (120,241 more nurses working full-time in 2004, a decrease from 58.5 to 58.3 percent in the number of full-time nurses).

From 2000 to 2004 there was a slight increase in the number of nurses working part-time (an estimated increase of 95,141 part-time nurses or an increase from 23.2 to 24.8 percent). The change in the number of nurses not employed in nursing was negligible.


Educational Preparation




Similarly, in terms of the highest level of preparation for nursing, the trend from 1980 to 2004 indicates that an increasing number of RNs receive baccalaureate and master’s degrees, even if their initial preparation for nursing was an associate’s degree or a diploma (Chart 3). The 2004 survey indicates that the RN population is increasingly prepared with a baccalaureate, a master’s, or doctorate degree.

The highest level of preparation for an estimated 17.5 percent of RNs (510,209) is a diploma; for an estimated 33.7 percent (981,238) the highest preparation is an associate degree; for 34.2 percent (994,240) it is a baccalaureate degree; and for 13.0 percent (377,046) it is a master’s or doctoral degree.






Full Report:
http://bhpr.hrsa.gov/healthworkforce/reports/rnpopulation/preliminaryfindings.htm

[SharonH, RN]

Karen,


Thanks much for posting this! There are some very interesting statistics from the survey. I encourage all to read.

[SFCardiacRN]

Thanks. I thought there were more of us! Ca, despite having the most RNs, has the smallest percentage of RN's. Couple that with legislated patient ratios and you'll see why our pay continues to climb.

[studentnurseinmd]

Hey all,
Could someone please be so kind as to explain what a CPI is? It is under the salary section of the article posted above. Thanks in advance. Merry Christmas, happy holidays, and a Happy New Year.

[rstewart]

Originally Posted by studentnurseinmd

Hey all,
Could someone please be so kind as to explain what a CPI is? It is under the salary section of the article posted above. Thanks in advance. Merry Christmas, happy holidays, and a Happy New Year.

The CPI is the Consumer Price Index. Basically as the name suggests the program indexes what consumers pay for a specified group of goods and services.

So if a nurse's salary increases by 3% but it costs 4% more to buy those goods/services measured by the CPI, it could be said that the nurse is not really "better off". Unfortunately, until the past few years that had been the case with nursing-----nearly a decade of incremental salary gains entirely offset by inflation.

[NRSKarenRN]

Originally Posted by rstewart

The CPI is the Consumer Price Index. Basically as the name suggests the program indexes what consumers pay for a specified group of goods and services.

So if a nurse's salary increases by 3% but it costs 4% more to buy those goods/services measured by the CPI, it could be said that the nurse is not really "better off". Unfortunately, until the past few years that had been the case with nursing-----nearly a decade of incremental salary gains entirely offset by inflation.

Thanks Rstewart ---clear and concise response!

[Sheri257]

Originally Posted by rstewart

So if a nurse's salary increases by 3% but it costs 4% more to buy those goods/services measured by the CPI, it could be said that the nurse is not really "better off". Unfortunately, until the past few years that had been the case with nursing-----nearly a decade of incremental salary gains entirely offset by inflation.

This is a good point. While salaries did jump by $11,000 in four years, that only meant a "real" salary increase of $3,000.

In the last 25 years, "real" nurse salaries have only increased by $9,000 after inflation. That's only a "real" annual increase of $360 per year. Pretty pathetic, actually.

[surfactant]

hello to everybody, this is my first time here, want to have some inquiry regarding my especial area to more knowleged about it . THANKS

[NYTramaRN]

Originally Posted by lizz

This is a good point. While salaries did jump by $11,000 in four years, that only meant a "real" salary increase of $3,000.

In the last 25 years, "real" nurse salaries have only increased by $9,000 after inflation. That's only a "real" annual increase of $360 per year. Pretty pathetic, actually.

I knew it: " I work like a horse and get paid like a canary!"

Paul