The Oregon Center for Nursing (OCN) released a new report showing how nurses’ tendencies to work in certain practice settings change as they gain more experience.
“The results clearly show that nurses with less than 20 years of experience are more likely to work in a hospital setting,” said the organization's Research Director, Dr. Rick Allgeyer. “As nurses gain more experience, they move on to other practice settings, like public health, home health and nursing education.”
The study was conducted by analyzing licensing records for more than 20,000 Oregon nurses. The probability of a nurse working in a hospital declined as the nurse gained more experience. However, the probability of a nurse working in a clinic, home health, hospice, and public health increased with more experience.
“This study has wide implications for the Oregon nursing workforce,” explained Executive Director Jana Bitton, MPA. “It may mean hospitals should start looking for more seasoned nurses to leave their roles if they. It also shows a need to help experienced nurses transition into more community-based settings.”
Download the study from OCN's public research database: Nursing Maldistribution: The Intersection Between Practice Setting and Years of Nursing Experience.
