West J Nurs Res. 2026 Apr 3:1939459261431011. doi: 10.1177/01939459261431011. Online ahead of print.
ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: The U.S. nursing workforce faces persistent challenges, worsened by a 3.3% decline of nurses and high rates of emotional exhaustion, job dissatisfaction, and moral injury. An aging population drives rising demand for acute and long-term care, requiring proactive pathways for a healthy, competent workforce. This demands precise national and local insights, yet federal and state data sources complicate addressing current and future issues.
OBJECTIVE: We examined registered nurse (RN) workforce data from common federal and state sources, highlighting data set strengths, discrepancies, implications, and use cases.
METHODS: Using Minnesota as an example and California as a contrast, we compared workforce data sources, quantified projected shortages or surpluses, and drew actionable conclusions for nurse leaders and policymakers.
RESULTS: Substantial differences exist in nursing workforce data sets’ completeness and utility. State licensure and survey data provide complete nurse lists and voluntary samples on elements like intent to leave, focusing on supply and characteristics but not growth, demand, or shortages. Bureau of Labor Statistics and similar national data sets support modeling growth and demand but offer little on supply, characteristics, or maldistribution. For example, one source projects 5.6% national RN job growth by 2032, while another forecasts 10% supply and 11% demand growth. These projections are difficult to model due to assumption limitations, capturing long-term trends well but often missing short-term ones.
CONCLUSION: Accurate, complete historical data sets form the foundation for workforce planning and analyzing future trends. We must urgently document and study nursing’s endemic challenges and pursue sustainable solutions, requiring reliable, locally relevant data.
PMID:41934117 | DOI:10.1177/01939459261431011
