Pa RN Survey: aveerage age 45.2.... 57.2%dissatisfied with job, < 36 leave in 10yrs

**NRSKarenRN, BSN, RN** · May 15, 2004

from psna newsleter:

pa department of health releases survey on rn characteristics

the department of health collaborated with the department of state's bureau of professional and occupational affairs to include an anonymous survey with each application for re-licensure. the report is based on 152,128 rns who filed usable survey forms out of 183,446 who renewed their licenses, an 83 percent response rate.

download the entire survey here. [color=#999999]pdf

major findings from the report include:

77.2 percent of all rn respondents were employed in health care, 10.5 percent were retired, 5.7 percent were unemployed and not seeking health care employment, and 4.4 percent were employed in a field other than health care.
of all respondents employed in health care, 84.5 percent were employed in pennsylvania and 15.5 percent were employed in other states.
the average age of a rn employed in health care in pennsylvania was 45.4 years.
the predominant form of education for rns employed in health care in pennsylvania was a bachelor's degree (33.3 percent) and a hospital diploma (33.2 percent).
58.1 percent of rns employed in health care in pennsylvania worked in hospitals, 9.8 percent in nursing homes, 6.5 percent in physicians' or dentists' offices, 6.4 percent in home health agencies, and 24.2 in other employment sectors. 69.3 percent worked full-time and 30.7 percent worked part-time.
by and large, rns seemed satisfied with both their jobs and careers. 84.6 percent of rns employed in health care in pennsylvania responded that they were either "very satisfied" or "somewhat satisfied" with their job, while 83.4 percent responded that they were either "very satisfied" or "somewhat satisfied" with their nursing career.
87.4 percent of rns employed in health care in pennsylvania did not report mandatory overtime within the two weeks before applying for their licenses.
27.6 percent of rns under the age of 35 responded that they were planning to leave nursing within the next 10 years.
the intent to remain in nursing was linked to job and career satisfaction - of rns who responded that they planned to remain in nursing for five years or less, 31.5 percent expressed dissatisfaction with their careers and 57.2 percent expressed dissatisfaction with their jobs