Coffman J, Spetz J
UCSF Center for the Health Professions, USA.
Image J Nurs Sch. 1999;31(4):389-93. doi: 10.1111/j.1547-5069.1999.tb00525.x.
Over the past 2 years, concerns have arisen about the adequacy of the supply of RNs in California and the rest of the United States. Nurse leaders have called upon the California State Legislature to respond to concerns by increasing funding for RN education at public colleges and universities.
Descriptive--to ascertain whether California faces a shortage of RNs and whether greater state government funding of RN educational programs is necessary to alleviate such a shortage. Secondary data from several sources were analyzed.
Cross-sectional analysis of data from the 1996 National Sample Survey of Registered Nurses concerning California RNs' demographic characteristics and employment patterns was conducted. Longitudinal analysis of data was examined for trends in California's population, utilization of RNs, and graduations from RN education programs.
Approximately 230,000 RNs lived in and were licensed to practice in California; 77% of California RNs were employed in nursing (70% working full-time; 30% part-time). Only a small number of California RNs were not currently working in nursing but were likely to enter the labor market. Most RNs who were not working were older retired women.
A large increase in the RN workforce is needed to keep pace with the rapid growth of California's population. For California to maintain a stable ratio of RNs to population, we estimated an additional 43,000 RNs will be needed by 2010, and an additional 74,000 will be needed by 2020. Educators, employers, and state policymakers should implement concerted and coordinated efforts to avert a shortage. The magnitude of the impending shortage of RNs in California is too large for the RN labor market to resolve. State government should provide additional resources for basic RN education programs.
在过去两年里，加利福尼亚州及美国其他地区对注册护士（RN）的供应充足性产生了担忧。护士行业领袖呼吁加利福尼亚州立法机构通过增加对公立学院和大学RN教育的资金投入来回应这些担忧。
描述性研究——以确定加利福尼亚州是否面临RN短缺，以及州政府增加对RN教育项目的资金投入对于缓解此类短缺是否必要。对来自多个来源的二手数据进行了分析。
对1996年全国注册护士抽样调查中有关加利福尼亚州RN的人口统计学特征和就业模式的数据进行了横断面分析。对数据进行纵向分析以研究加利福尼亚州的人口趋势、RN的使用情况以及RN教育项目的毕业情况。
约230,000名RN居住在加利福尼亚州并获得执业许可；77%的加利福尼亚州RN受雇于护理行业（70%全职工作；30%兼职工作）。目前只有少数加利福尼亚州的RN没有从事护理工作，但有可能进入劳动力市场。大多数不工作的RN是年长的退休女性。
需要大幅增加RN劳动力数量，以跟上加利福尼亚州人口的快速增长。为使加利福尼亚州维持稳定的RN与人口比例，我们估计到2010年将额外需要43,000名RN，到2020年将额外需要74,000名RN。教育工作者、雇主和州政策制定者应齐心协力、协调行动以避免短缺。加利福尼亚州即将出现的RN短缺规模太大，RN劳动力市场无法解决。州政府应为基础RN教育项目提供更多资源。
