Executive Summary
In 2007, the Hawaii State Center for Nursing conducted the first biennial population based survey of registered nurses (RNs) required to renew their license in Hawaii to collect data on their geographic distribution, age, employment status, intentions to stay in the profession, work setting, practice role, education, gender, racial/ethnic background. The survey also included items to examine intention to stay in current work setting in the next twelve months and the reasons that led to decisions to leave current nursing employment.
Responses from an online survey and mailed survey were combined and analyzed. In 2007, the total number of nurses listed with the Board of Nursing was 18,075 registered nurses. Out of this number 7,236 (40%) completed the survey.
Key findings from the 2007 survey show that:
• 79% report their current residential address as here in the State of Hawaii.
• For those licensed and residing in Hawaii, 88% report that they are active in nursing and working in a position requiring an RN license/ knowledge, 4.9% are retired, 3.6% working in non-nursing jobs, and 3.4% unemployed.1
Of the 88% active RNs:
• 73% live and work in the City & County of Honolulu, 12% Hawaii County, 10% in Maui County, and 4% Kauai County. The workforce continues to disproportionately represent females and Caucasians.
• 62% are working in hospital settings, 6% long term care, 5% ambulatory care, and 7% in some other healthcare setting.
• 68% provide direct patient care services.
• Average age is 44.35 (±11.3).
• 85% are working 30 or more hours per week.
• About 8.5% of active RNs are Veterans aged 60 years and older, 52.5% are Boomers
41 to 59 years of age, and 39% are GenX Millennials aged 40 years or younger.
• 50-65% of active RNs intend to retire and leave the profession in the next 10 to 15 years.
• 18% of active RNs are ‘very likely’ or ‘somewhat likely’ to leave their primary employer in the next 12 months. Reasons for leaving current employment include; dissatisfaction (36%), family / personal (5%), military or family relocation (5%), other (19%), relocation off island for better opportunities (14%), retirement (13%), and return to school (3%).
• About 10% of active RNs are male.2
• About 19% of active RNs are Filipino, 16% Japanese, 11% mixed 2 or more races, 4% Native Hawaiian, 4% Chinese, 2% Hispanic, 1% Other Asian, .9% African-American, 1% Korean, 1% Samoan and other Pacific Islanders, and <1% some other race. |
Introduction
One of the goals of the Hawaii State Center for Nursing is to serve as an information
resource by establishing a central resource for nursing workforce data collection and
analysis. In 2007, the Hawaii State Center for Nursing in collaboration with the Hawaii
Board of Nursing (BON) conducted its first population based survey of all Registered
Nurses (RNs) registered in the State of Hawaii to collect information on nurses residing in
the state, employment status, geographic distribution, education, gender, age, and
racial/ethnic background. The survey questionnaire also included questions on RNs
intention to lead current employer in the next twelve months and what factors were
associated with the intention to leave the nursing position. Participants were asked to
report on their residential address one year ago (2006) and where they expect to reside one
year from now (2008). The final item asked participants to indicate how many years did
they intend to continue practicing as a registered nurse.
The population sample reflected all registered nurses listed as licensed with the Hawaii
Board of Nursing as of May 2007. The study was approved by the University of Hawaii at
Manoa Committee on Human Subjects Institutional Review Board (IRB). Two modes of
survey distribution were used to ensure that all registered nurses licensed in the State of Hawaii received equal opportunity to participate in the survey. An online survey link was made available for RNs registering online with the BON. The HSCFN also conducted a
mail out of the survey questionnaire to all RNs listed as registered in the state. The HSCFN
mail out survey packet included a letter inviting nurses to respond along with the
questionnaire and an addressed prepaid envelope for ease of return to the HSCFN. A
brochure highlighting the work of the HSCFN was also included. Participation in the survey was voluntary and no personal details were collected to ensure confidentiality. The total number of registered nurses listed with the BON at the time of the survey was 18,075. |
1 In this report, the term ‘active’ is used to refer to registered nurses who are working in positions requiring
an RN license/ knowledge on a full-time or part-time basis. ‘Active’ does not include approximately 4.9
percent of licensed RNs who are retired, 3.6 percent working in non-nursing jobs, and 3.4 percent
unemployed.
2 The U.S. Census Bureau annual population estimates by sex, race, and ethnicity show the following
percentages for Hawaii in 2006: 50 percent male, 50 percent female, 26.3 percent white, 2.2 percent black or
African American, 39.9 percent Asian, 0.3 percent American Indian or Alaskan Native, 8.7 percent Native
Hawaiian or other Pacific Islander, 1.1 percent ‘Some other race’, 21.5 percent ‘Two or more races’, and an
estimated 7.8 percent Spanish, Hispanic or Latino. The sum of percentages for race equals more than 100
percent because individuals may report more than one race. |
