Background
The Registered Nurse Population
The total number of licensed RNs living and working in the United States was estimated to be 2,909,467 as of March 2004, an increase of 7.9 percent or 212,927 above the 2,696,540 licensed RNs estimated in 2000.
The Registered Nurse Workforce Of the total estimated population of nurses in 2004, 58.3 percent (1,696,916) were working full-time, almost 25 percent (724,544) were working part-time in 2004, and 16.8 percent were not employed in nursing. This estimate of the number employed in nursing represents an increase of 219,647 RNs (10 percent) over the projected 2,201,813 RNs employed in nursing in 2000.
Age
The trend toward more RNs in older age groups continued, as demonstrated by the changes across surveys. In March 2004, the average age of the RN population was estimated to be 46.8 years of age, more than a year older than the average age of 45.2 years estimated in 2000; and more than 4 years greater than in 1996 when the average age was 42.3 years.
In 2000, an estimated 31.7 percent of all RNs were under the age of 40; in 2004 only 26.6 percent of all RNs were estimated to be under the age of 40. Similarly, in 1980, 40.5 percent of RNs were under the age of 35, compared to only 16.6 percent in 2004. The RN population under 30 dropped from an estimated 9.1 percent in 2000 to 8.1 percent in 2004.
Gender
Continuing the history of nursing, relatively few men are licensed as RNs, with a slight, insignificant increase estimated for 2004 from 5.4 percent in 2000 to 5.7 percent in 2004. However, it appears that the initial nursing preparation for more male RNs was an associate’s degree rather than a diploma (53.5 percent for men compared to 42.2 percent for women). More female RNs graduated from a diploma program (26.3 percent of female RNs compared to 13.9 percent of men). The percentages of male and female RNs completing a baccalaureate or higher degree initial nursing program were surprisingly similar, 32.7 percent and 31.5 percent, respectively. When the highest nursing-related educational preparation is considered, 47.7 percent of female RNs completed at least a baccalaureate program compared to 46.2 percent of males.
Racial/Ethnic Background
In March 2004, about 7.5 percent of RNs did not specify their racial/ethnic background and 81.8 percent of the RN population were estimated to be White (non-Hispanic), leaving 10.6 percent in one or more of the identified racial and ethnic minority groups. In 2000, 12.3 percent of the RN population was estimated to be in one of the non-White racial/ethnic minority groups identified.
Of the nurses who indicated their racial/ethnic background in 2004, 88.4 percent (an estimated 2,380,639) were White, non-Hispanic; 4.6 percent or 122,495 were Black/African American, non-Hispanic; 3.3 percent or 89,976 were Asian or Pacific Islander, non-Hispanic; 1.8 percent or 48,009 were Hispanic; 0.4 percent or 9,453 were American Indian/Alaskan Native; and 1.5 percent were from two or more racial backgrounds
Family Status
The 2004 survey estimated that 70.5 percent of RNs are married; 18.1 percent are widowed, divorced, or separated; and 9.2 percent have never married. The majority (52.1 percent) of RNs have children and/or other adults at home. Of these RNs and allowing for multiple responses, 28.3 percent have children under age 6 at home, 65.2 percent have children 6 to 18 at home, and 30.6 percent have other adults at home. An additional 14.8 percent of nurses have other dependents who do not live at home.