United States Registered Nurse Workforce Report Card and Shortage Forecast: A Revisit

Am J Med Qual. 2018 May/Jun;33(3):229-236. doi: 10.1177/1062860617738328. Epub 2017 Nov 28.

Abstract

This is a reevaluation of registered nurse (RN) supply and demand from 2016 to 2030 using a previously published work forecast model and grading methodology with more recent workforce data. There will be a shortage of 154 018 RNs by 2020 and 510 394 RNs by 2030; the South and West regions will have higher shortage ratios than Northeast and Midwest regions. This reflects a nearly 50% overall improvement when compared with the authors' prior study, and the low-performing states have improved from 18 "D" and 12 "F" grades as published earlier to 13 "D" and 1 "F" in this study. Although progress has been made, efforts to foster the pipelines for improving the nursing workforce need to be continued.

Keywords: RN demand; RN supply; nursing workforce; report card.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Health Services Needs and Demand
  • Health Workforce / statistics & numerical data*
  • Humans
  • Nurses / supply & distribution*
  • United States