The 2020 National Nursing Workforce Survey

Background Every two years, the National Council of State Boards of Nursing (NCSBN) and the National Forum of State Nursing Workforce Centers (Forum) conduct the only national-level survey focused on the entire U.S. nursing workforce. The survey generates data on the supply of registered nurses (RNs) and licensed practical nurses/licensed vocational nurses (LPNs/LVNs). These data are especially crucial in providing information on emerging nursing issues which in 2020 was the significant burden placed on nurses and the healthcare system by the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. Purpose To provide data critical to planning for enough adequately prepared nurses and ensuring a safe, diverse, and effective healthcare system. Methods This study used a national, randomized sample survey of 157,459 licensed RNs and 172,045 LPNs/LVNs. Data from 42,021 RN respondents and 39,765 LPN/LVN respondents were collected between February 19, 2020, and June 30, 2020. Data included nurse demographics, educational attainment, employment, practice characteristics, and trends. Results The total number of active RN and LPN/LVN licenses in the United States were 4,198,031 and 944,813, respectively. The median age of RNs was 52 years and 53 years for LPNs/LVNs. The nursing workforce has become more diverse than in any other study year as nurses between 19 and 49 years of age have introduced greater racial diversity. Findings suggest the nursing workforce is becoming increasingly more educated and experienced. An average of 83% of all nurses who maintain licensure are employed in nursing with roughly two-thirds working full-time. Hospitals and nursing/extended care facilities continue to be the primary practice setting for RNs and LPNs, respectively. More than one-fifth of all nurses reported they plan to retire from nursing over the next 5 years. Nursing incomes have remained essentially flat over time. Conclusion Employment setting, age, diversity, and education have all changed over the last 2 years. Challenges will continue in the nursing workforce such as matching workforce diversity to the population, compensation, and opportunities; preparing for the large numbers of nurses retiring; exploring the role of nurses in new practice settings; and changes in healthcare delivery modalities such as telehealth.