RN Work Project

In our national sample:

•  56.3% of RNs held an Associate degree in nursing (ADN) as their basic nursing degree compared to 39.5% with Bachelor’s degree in Nursing (BSN).
• Within three years of initial licensure, 6.7% of BSN nurses earned a Masters or Doctoral degree.
• Within three years of initial licensure, 12.9% RNs with an ADN earned a BSN, and 1.4% earned a Masters or Doctoral degree.

Our data show that:

•  BSN RNs report being better prepared to engage in evidence based practice, and patient safety – critical skills that are required of RNs working in an increasingly complex healthcare environment.
• 61.9% of BSN prepared RNs compared to 49.2% ADN prepared RNs report being “very prepared” to use evidence based practice.
•  Similarly, 73% of BS RNs compared to 69% of ADN RNs reported that they were “very prepared” in safety.

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Within two and a half years of being licensed as a Registered Nurse (RN):

• 14.5% (n=137) of RNs with Associate degrees were enrolled in an educational program
• 9.9% (n=64) of RNs with Baccalaureate degrees were enrolled in an educational program

Within four and a half years of being licensed as an RN:

• Of RNs with Associate degrees (n=917)
• 13.4% (n=123) earned a Baccalaureate degree
• Of those, 96.3% (n=118) earned their Baccalaureate degree in nursing
• 1.4% (n=13) earned a Master’s or Doctorate
• Of those, 85.7% (n=11) earned their Master’s or Doctorate in nursing
• 13.8% (n=127) were enrolled in an educational program
• Of those, 98.6% (n=125) were enrolled in a nursing education program
• Of RNs with Baccalaureate degrees (n=643)
• 7.9% (n=51) earned a Master’s or Doctorate degree
• Of those, 84.8% (n=43) earned their Master’s or Doctorate degree in nursing
• 13.7% (n=88) were enrolled in an educational program
• Of those, 92.7% (n=82) were enrolled in a nursing education program

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Newly licensed registered nurses (NLRNs) care about:

1. Doing their job well
2. Being fairly rewarded for their work
3. Receiving a good pay

Unsafe, poorly managed and poorly equipped work environments hold NLRNs back:

• 25% reported at least one on-the-job needle-stick
• 39% reported at least one strain or sprain
• 21% reported a cut or laceration
• 46% reported a bruise or contusion
• 62% reported verbal abuse
• 17% found it difficult or impossible to do their job at least once a month because of their supervisor
• 21% found it difficult or impossible to do their job at least once a month because of incorrect instructions
• 25% found it difficult or impossible to do their job at least once a week because of inadequate supplies

NLRNs work long hours:

• Almost 13% worked mandatory overtime
• 51% worked voluntary overtime

Most NLRNs work in hospitals:

• About 85% of new nurses work in hospitals 18 months after graduation
• 3 ½ to 4 ½ years after graduation, that number has dropped to 71%

Is Quality Improvement possible?

• 38.6% of NLRNs thought that they were “poorly” or “very poorly” prepared for or had “never heard of” Quality Improvement
• Bachelor degree graduates reported having more Quality Improvement education in their nursing education programs than associate degree graduates.

NLRNs don’t leave nursing, but they do leave their employers!

• 41% planned to leave their first job within 3 years
• 18.1% left their first nursing job within 13 months of starting
• 26.2% left their first nursing job within 25 months of starting

Why do NLRNs leave their first job?

• Top 3 professional reasons: poor management, stressful work, wanting experience in another clinical area
• Top 3 personal reasons: moving to a different geographic area, partner takes a job elsewhere, compatible school schedule

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