The RN Work Project is a 10-year long study of newly registered nurses.
The study began in 2006 and will survey three cohorts of nurses every five years, with the last being surveyed in January 2016. Survey topics include nursing turnover rates, intentions and attitudes over the ten year period. The most recent information the project released compares the responses of nurses licensed in 2004-2005 with those licensed in 2010-2011.
Here are 11 key trends the project has identified so far.
- Of nurses licensed in 2004-2005, 88.8 percent reported working in a hospital. This number fell to 77.7 percent for nurses licensed in 2010-2011.
- Of nurses licensed in 2004-2005, 7.8 percent worked part time. This number grew to 10.5 percent for nurses licensed in 2010-2011.
- New RNs are more likely to be enrolled in a formal education program. Of nurses licensed in 2004-2005, 11.4 percent were enrolled in a formal education program, this number rose to 16.6 percent for nurses licensed in 2010-2011.
- New RNs report having fewer job opportunities. Of those licensed but unemployed in 2004-2005, 11.8 percent said they could not find an entry-level job in their area. The number rose to 31.3 percent for those licensed in 2010-2011.
- New RNs report having fewer significant employee benefits. Of nurses licensed in 2004-2005, 97.2 percent reported having health insurance. This number fell to 91.9 percent for those licensed in 2010-2011.
- Of RNs licensed in 2004-2005, 86.4 percent reported having tuition reimbursement. This number fell to 69.4 percent for those licensed in 2010-2011.
- Of all newly registered RN respondents, approximately half leave their jobs within two years. Of those RNs, 17.5 percent reported leaving in the first year, and 33.5 percent reported leaving in the second.
- Of newly registered RNs, 25.4 percent reported being sent to a quality improvement training or conference and 31.7 percent reported participating in an online quality improvement course.
- Of those who did receive quality improvement training, 43.9 percent said it was very effective in helping them improve patient care in their unit. Fifty-two percent said it was somewhat effective.
- Respondents said the greatest barrier to quality improvement training was lack of opportunity. Of newly registered RN respondents, 42.2 percent said they were never offered the chance to participate in online training, 43.4 percent said they weren't given the option to attend a conference or course and 25.2 percent said they haven't received training because the time commitment was too great.
- Regardless of education level, RNs tend to be less geographically mobile than people in most other professions, with 61.6 percent of female BSN nurses ages 20-39 living in the same state in which they were born.