The National Sample Survey of Registered Nurses (NSSRN) is the Nation's most extensive and comprehensive source of statistics on registered nurses (RNs) with current licenses to practice in the United States whether or not they are employed in nursing. Government agencies, legislative bodies and health professionals have used data from previous national sample surveys of registered nurses to inform workforce policies. Responses are used to estimate the number of RNs living and working in the United States; the educational background of RNs, including State or country of initial education and specialty area; employment status including type of employment setting, position level and salary; geographic distribution; and personal characteristics including gender, racial/ethnic background, age, family status, and job satisfaction.

The Department of Health and Human Services, Health Resources and Services Administration, Bureau of Health Professions previously conducted seven sample surveys. Reports from the surveys, conducted in 1977, 1980, 1984, 1988, 1992, l996 and 2000, have been published and made available to those involved in health care planning and evaluation as well as to the public. The eighth NSSRN began data collection in March 2004 and responses were received through November 2005. This report provides preliminary findings from the current survey.

The development of a design for collecting data through sample surveys of RNs was initiated in July 1975. The survey design for the 2004 NSSRN follows that of the previous seven surveys. A probability sample is selected from a sampling frame compiled from files provided by the State Boards of Nursing in the 50 States and the District of Columbia. However, the sample frame and weighting procedures are designed to provide an unduplicated count of licensed RNs rather than of licenses, given that many RNs have licenses in more than one State. Sampling rates are set for each State based on considerations of statistical precision of the estimates and the costs involved in obtaining reliable national and State level estimates. The 2004 NSSRN eligible sample size of 56,917 licensed RNs yielded 50,691 eligible sampled RNs who were sent surveys, of whom 35,724 individual RNs responded for a response rate of 70.5 percent. The resulting database for the 2004 NSSRN is comprised of 35,724 individual licensed RNs from all 50 States and the District of Columbia.


The Registered Nurse Population