The Registered Nurse Population, March 2000. Findings from the National Sample Survey of Registered Nurses.

Health Resources and Services Administration, Information Center, P.O. Box 2910, Merrifield, VA 22116 (free). Tel: 888-275-4772 (Ask-HRSA) (Toll Free); TTY: 877-489-4772; Fax: 703-821-2098; e-mail: [email protected]; Web site: http://www.ask.hrsa.gov.

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Department of Health and Human Services, Washington, DC. Div. of Nursing.

Practitioners; Administrators

Age; Associate Degrees; Bachelors Degrees; Colleges; Demography; Education Work Relationship; Educational Attainment; Employment Patterns; Family Status; Geographic Distribution; Higher Education; Individual Characteristics; Job Satisfaction; Minority Groups; National Surveys; Nurses; Nursing Education; Nursing Research; Occupational Surveys; Prior Learning; Professional Continuing Education; Professional Development; Questionnaires; Race; Research Projects; Salary Wage Differentials; Sex; Social Science Research; Tables (Data); Trend Analysis; Two Year Colleges; Work Environment; Work Experience

The characteristics, education, employment patterns, salaries, job satisfaction, and other characteristics of registered nurses (RNs) across the United States were examined in a national survey. Of the initial sample of approximately 54,000 of the nation's more than 3,066,000 licensed RNs, 35,579 RNs (72%) submitted usable responses. From 1980 to 2000, the RN population increased by more than 1 million with 1996-2000 marking the slowest growth in the RN population during the 20-year period. The percentage of nurses receiving their basic education in diploma programs decreased from 60% to 30%, with the percentage completing associate degree programs increasing from 19% to 40%. Hospitals remained the major employer of nurses although the number of nurses employed in other sectors--especially public and community health, ambulatory care, and other noninstitutional settings--increased. In 1980-2000, full- time RNs actual annual salaries increased from $17,398 to $46,782, whereas their real salaries increased from $17,398 to $23,103. Across the entire sample, just two-thirds of the RNs reported being satisfied with their current position. (Chapter 1 presents information about early RN studies, development of the present study's methodology, the sample of RNs for the present study, and 15 references. Appendixes constituting approximately 80% of the document contain 48 tables, a description of the survey methodology, and the survey questionnaire.) (MN)

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