NURSING IN TRANSITION
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INTRODUCTION
The impact of nurses on today’s healthcare system can hardly be overstated. Registered Nurses (RNs) are critical to both the access to care and the quality of care received by Americans every day. RNs represent the largest single profession within the healthcare industry, which is the nation’s largest employment sector. There are approximately 4.7 million RNs in the U.S. currently holding active licenses. Of these, approximately 4.2 million are currently employed as RNs (National Council of State Boards of Nursing. 2024 Active RN Licenses). RNs work on the front lines of care in hospitals, physician offices, home health, long-term care facilities, hospices, outpatient clinics, schools, retail clinics, community health centers and virtually every other setting in which healthcare is provided. Nursing roles vary widely from providing direct patient care and case management to establishing nurse practice standards, developing quality assurance procedures, and directing complex nursing care systems.
A Matter of Public Health Given their critical and expanding role as frontline caregivers, it is essential as a matter of public health to understand and monitor how nursing is changing, how nurses feel about their profession, their career plans, the quality of their work experience, and what factors are most likely to keep them engaged and productive. Now in its 16th year, AMN Healthcare’s Survey of Registered Nurses seeks to take the pulse of nurses nationwide, providing insights into the health and direction of this vital profession gleaned from nurses themselves. Over 12,000 nurses completed this year’s survey while over 9,200 provided additional written insights. Survey data and analysis should prove useful to better understanding the challenges nurses face, what their work plans and preferences are, and how to keep them committed to providing care that is vital to the health of all Americans.
AMNHealthcare.com
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