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US Nursing Market
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Key Points
- Registered nurses constitute the largest health care occupation, with 2.4 million
jobs.
- About 3 out of 5 jobs are in hospitals.
- The three major educational paths to registered nursing are a bachelor’s degree,
an associate degree, and a diploma from an approved nursing program.
- Registered nurses are projected to create the second largest number of new jobs
among all occupations;
job opportunities in most specialties and employment settings
are expected to be excellent, with some employers
reporting difficulty in attracting
and retaining enough RNs.
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Nature of Work
RNs may specialize by work setting or by type of care provided. For example, ambulatory care nurses
treat patients with a variety of illnesses and injuries on an outpatient basis, either in physicians’
offices or in clinics. Some ambulatory care nurses are involved in telehealth, providing care and
advice through electronic communications media such as videoconferencing or the Internet. Critical
care nurses work in critical or intensive care hospital units and provide care to patients with
cardiovascular, respiratory, or pulmonary failure. Emergency, or trauma, nurses work in hospital
emergency departments and treat patients with life-threatening conditions caused by accidents, heart
attacks, and strokes. Some emergency nurses are flight nurses, who provide medical care to patients
who must be flown by helicopter to the nearest medical facility. Holistic nurses provide care such
as acupuncture, massage and aroma therapy, and biofeedback, which are meant to treat patients’ mental
and spiritual health in addition to their physical health. Home health care nurses provide at-home
care for patients who are recovering from surgery, accidents, and childbirth. Hospice and palliative
care nurses provide care for, and help ease the pain of, terminally ill patients outside of hospitals.
Infusion nurses administer medications, fluids, and blood to patients through injections into
patients’ veins. Long- term care nurses provide medical services on a recurring basis to patients
with chronic physical or mental disorders. Medical-surgical nurses provide basic medical care to a
variety of patients in all health settings. Occupational health nurses provide treatment for
job-related injuries and illnesses and help employers to detect workplace hazards and implement
health and safety standards. Perianesthesia nurses provide preoperative and postoperative care to
patients undergoing anesthesia during surgery. Perioperative nurses assist surgeons by selecting and
handling instruments, controlling bleeding, and suturing incisions. Some of these nurses also can
specialize in plastic and reconstructive surgery. Psychiatric nurses treat patients with personality
and mood disorders. Radiologic nurses provide care to patients undergoing diagnostic radiation
procedures such as ultrasounds and magnetic resonance imaging. Rehabilitation nurses care for patients
with temporary and permanent disabilities. Transplant nurses care for both transplant recipients and
living donors and monitor signs of organ rejection.
Working Conditions
Most RNs work in well-lighted, comfortable health care facilities. Home health and public health nurses
travel to patients’ homes, schools, community centers, and other sites. RNs may spend considerable time
walking and standing. Patients in hospitals and nursing care facilities require 24-hour care; consequently,
nurses in these institutions may work nights, weekends, and holidays. RNs also may be on call—available
to work on short notice. Nurses who work in office settings are more likely to work regular business
hours. About 23 percent of RNs worked part time in 2004, and 7 percent held more than one job.
Qualifications and Training
Nurses should be caring, sympathetic, responsible, and detail oriented. They must be able to
direct or supervise others, correctly assess patients’ conditions, and determine when
consultation is required. They need emotional stability to cope with human suffering,
emergencies, and other stresses.
Foreign-educated nurses wishing to work in the United States must obtain a work visa.
Applicants are required to undergo a review of their education and licensing credentials and
pass a nursing certification and English proficiency exam, both conducted by the Commission
on Graduates of Foreign Nursing Schools. (The commission is an immigration-neutral, nonprofit
organization that is recognized internationally as an authority on credentials evaluation in
the health care field.)
Employment
Job opportunities for RNs in all specialties are expected to be excellent. Employment of
registered nurses is expected to grow much faster than average for all occupations through 2014,
and, because the occupation is very large, many new jobs will result. In fact, registered nurses
are projected to create the second largest number of new jobs among all occupations. Thousands of
job openings also will result from the need to replace experienced nurses who leave the
occupation, especially as the median age of the registered nurse population continues to rise.
Earnings
Median annual earnings of registered nurses were $52,330 in May 2004. The middle 50 percent
earned between $43,370 and $63,360. The lowest 10 percent earned less than $37,300, and the
highest 10 percent earned more than $74,760. Median annual earnings in the industries employing
the largest numbers of registered nurses in May 2004 were as follows:
Employment services
General medical and surgical hospitals
Home health care services
Offices of physicians
Nursing care facilities
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$63,170
53,450
48,990
48,250
48,220
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Source: U.S. Department of Labor – Bureau of Labor Statistics |
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