Commissioned by the Oregon Health Care Workforce Committee in response to HB 4003 (2022), this report was developed by the UCSF Health Workforce Research Center in collaboration with the Oregon Center for Nursing. It was designed to assess current nursing workforce conditions, explore system stressors, and provide evidence-based recommendations for policy and planning. The research draws on data from licensing and employment systems, as well as qualitative input from stakeholders across Oregon’s healthcare, education, and regulatory communities.
The findings do not point to a singular shortage or pipeline failure. Instead, the report identifies persistent instability shaped by uneven working conditions, limited support for new nurses, and misalignment between workforce roles and care settings. Concerns are especially acute in long-term care, community-based settings, and rural areas. Nurses report increased stress, emotional fatigue, and difficult transitions into practice. Stakeholders emphasized the need to improve retention, rather than relying solely on expanding the workforce.
The report offers recommendations across nine domains, emphasizing regionally responsive and system-level strategies. Among these initiatives are improving retention and well-being through supportive workplace practices, scaling transition-to-practice programs such as internships and residencies, addressing career development and role clarity for CNAs and LPNs, and formally evaluating Oregon’s Nurse Staffing Law. Each recommendation is grounded in data, stakeholder input, and an understanding of long-term workforce stability.
Stay connected with the Oregon Center for Nursing! Subscribe to our mailing list for the latest research, resources, and nursing news in Oregon.
