Results Demand for Registered Nurses in California: • The vast majority of hospital CNOs reported that there was greater demand for RNs than supply. The California Chief • The shortage was primarily for nurses with clinical Nursing Officer Survey, experience, particularly for the clinical areas of peri- operative (OR) care, critical care, labor & delivery, and the 2017 emergency department. Summary of April 2019 report • Demand for experienced RNs was greatest in the Joanne Spetz Central California region and lowest in the San Healthforce Center at UCSF Francisco Bay Area. • Hospitals indicated that there is a surplus of new RN Background graduates, although the demand for new RN graduates This document summarizes the eighth annual survey of has slowly improved between 2013 and 2017. hospital registered nurse (RN) employers. The surveys • Demand for new RN graduates was strongest in the collect data on demand for RNs, changes that have occurred Sacramento and Northern Counties region and the over time, and information specific to the hiring of newly- San Francisco Bay Area, and weakest in the graduated nurses. Southern Border region. Figure 1. Average ranking of labor market demand for experienced RNs by geographic region, 2013 – 2017 (1=surplus 3=balanced labor market 5=shortage) 5.0 4.5 4.0 Average ranking 3.5 3.0 2.5 2.0 1.5 1.0 Sacramento & San Francisco Central Los Angeles Inland Empire Southern California Northern Bay Area California Border California 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 © 2019 Healthforce Center at UCSF Hiring of newly-graduated nurses • Hospitals reported that BSN-prepared nurses represent a • Over half of responding hospitals reported that their larger share of staff compared to prior years, with employment of new RN graduates increased between fall approximately 40% reporting that at least half their RN 2016 and fall 2017. staff have a BSN or higher degree. • Over 87% of hospitals reported hiring new RN graduates • Two-thirds of hospitals reported having goals or plans in in 2017, and new graduates accounted for 37% of all new place to increase the number of baccalaureate-educated staff RN hires in 2017. RNs on staff. One-third did not have such plans. • Nearly one-third of hospitals reported that they expect to Hiring expectations for the next year increase hiring of new graduates in 2018, which is a • 43% of hospitals expected that their RN employment decline from 2015 and 2016 when nearly half expected would increase in 2018. This is a decrease from the 2016 increased hiring of new graduates. survey, when 60.2% reported an expectation of greater hiring in the coming year. • The most frequently reported reason for an expected increase in new graduate hiring was the lack of available • Nearly 11% of responding hospitals reported expectations experienced RNs. that RN employment would decrease in 2018. Hiring requirements for newly-graduated RNs • The most frequently reported reasons for the expected • 9% of hospitals reported they required newly-hired RNs employment increase were patient census growth, to hold a bachelor’s degree. 91% had no such requirement. increased hospital bed capacity, and increased patient acuity. • 54.9% of hospitals reported a preference for hiring baccalaureate-trained RNs, and 45.1% had no such preference. Figure 2. Average ranking of labor market demand for new RN graduates by geographic region, 2013 – 2017 (1=surplus 3=balanced labor market 5=shortage) 5.0 4.5 4.0 Average ranking 3.5 3.0 2.5 2.0 1.5 1.0 Sacramento & San Francisco Central Los Angeles Inland Empire Southern California Northern Bay Area California Border California 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 The mission of Healthforce Center is to equip health care organizations with the workforce knowledge and leadership skills to effect positive change. Healthforce Center at UCSF 3333 California Street, Suite 410 San Francisco, CA 94143 © 2019 Healthforce Center at UCSF