Nurses: While
the number of registered nurses (RNs) in Hawai'i has increased
in recent years (almost 12,000 in 2007), only about
81 percent are employed in nursing.1 Hawai'i
ranks 41st among all states, with 75 registered nurses per
10,000 residents.2 (The U.S. rate of 82 per 10,000 residents.) O'ahu has the highest concentration of RNs; Maui
County have the lowest.
In 2007, there were 2,424 licensed practical nurses (LPNs)
in Hawai'i. Kaua'i County has more LPNs per capita than
the counties of Hawai'i, Honolulu, and Maui. About 73
percent of LPNs in the state are employed.1
Advance practice registered nurses (APRNs) include clinical
nurse specialists, certified nurse midwives, certified
registered nurse anesthetists, and nurse practitioners.
Between 2000 and 2007, the number of licensed APRNs per
capita doubled. Maui's rate is the lowest among all counties.
Nursing Shortage: Hawai'i ranked 41st
in the nation in terms of registered RNs per capita with
75 per 10,000 population versus 82 employed RNs for the
nation as a whole.2 In addition, Hawai'i's
nursing population is older, on average. In 2001, 79 percent
of Hawai'i's RNs were 40 years old or older, compared
with 68 percent nationwide. Approximately 6 percent of
Hawai'i's RNs are under the age of 30, compared to 9 percent
nationally.3 As Hawai'i's older nurses retire,
there is not currently a population to replace them.
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