Hawaii has significantly more in-state registered nurses than licensed practical nurses, according to a report released by the Hawaii State Center for Nursing.
The report attributes this, in part, to the fact an LPN license is a career step toward becoming an RN, and some nurses seeking advancement may move to the RN role at a quick pace or completely avoid the LPN role.
Here are nine findings from the report.
1. Approximately 60 percent more nursing licenses were issued to Hawaii residents in 2017 compared to 2005.
2. The number of RN licenses issued to in-state residents increased by an average of 4 percent annually since 2005, while the number of advanced practice RNs increased by an average of 8 percent annually. The number of active, in-state LPNs decreased 2 percent annually, on average, from 2005 through 2017, for a cumulative decrease of 16 percent during that time period.
3. Thirteen percent of employed nurses in Hawaii are men.
4. Thirty-one percent of employed nurses in Hawaii are Filipino and 31 percent are Caucasian.
5. Eleven percent of employed nurses in Hawaii have some Native Hawaiian ancestry, according to the report.
6. Forty-five is the average age of employed nurses in Hawaii.
7. LPNs represent a smaller proportion of Hawaii's nursing workforce in the city and county of Honolulu than in Hawaii, Maui and Kauai counties.
8. Most nurses in Hawaii (81 percent) said they plan to stay in their current role at least another 12 months, while 90 percent said they plan to stay in the nursing workforce at least another five years.
9. Seventy-two percent of RNs in Hawaii have earned a bachelor's or graduate degree in nursing.
Read the full findings here.