State Health Workforce Profiles

[NRSKarenRN, BSN, RN]

State Health Workforce Profiles

National Center for Health Workforce Information and Analysis

http://bhpr.hrsa.gov/healthworkforce/profiles/default.htm

Interesting PA stats.

Medicine:

Medical schools in Pennsylvania graduated 1,267 new physicians in 1997. On a per capita basis, Pennsylvania

graduated more new physicians per 100,000 population (10.5) than did the entire United States (6.6) and ranked 6 th

among the 46 states with medical schools in medical school graduates per capita.

Nursing

Ö There were over 160,000 licensed registered nurses (RNs) in Pennsylvania in 1996; nearly 123,000 were employed

in nursing. There were 1,014.9 RNs per 100,000 population in Pennsylvania in 1996, significantly more than the

national average of 798.

Ö Pennsylvania ranked 5 th highest among the states in the number of Licensed Practical/Vocational Nurses (LPNs)

employed in 1998 with 35,580 workers. With 296.4 LPNs per 100,000 population as compared to the national rate

of 249.3 per 100,000, Pennsylvania ranked 11 th in the per capita employment of LPNs.

Ö Pennsylvania had nearly 1,900 nurse practitioners in 1998. This was equal to 15.5 nurse practitioners per 100,000

population, well below the national average of 26.3. Pennsylvania had one of the lowest ratios of nurse practitioners

per capita in the nation.

Ö With 231 certified nurse midwives in 2000, Pennsylvania had 1.9 certified nurse midwives per 100,000 population,

close to the national average of 2.1.

Ö With more than 1,800 certified registered nurse anesthetists in 1997, Pennsylvania had 15.3 nurse anesthetists per

100,000 population, much higher than the national average of 8.6. Pennsylvania had one of the highest ratios of nurse anesthetists per capita in the nation.

Aides

Ö There were 15,330 home health aides and 70,860 nursing aides, orderlies, and attendants working in Pennsylvania in

1998. With 128 home health aides and 590 nursing aides, orderlies, and attendants per 100,000 population in 1998,

Pennsylvania ranked 28 th and 13 th, respectively, among the 50 states.

Ö Home health aide employment is expected to increase by 80.4% in Pennsylvania between 1996-2006.

[Mijourney]

Hi Karen. The information from HRSA is very important. It's important for you and other moderators to highlight some of that information as a point of discussion so that nurses and others can learn something about some of the infrastructure that currently affects nursing.