Understanding Oregon’s Nursing Workforce Supply, Demand and Distribution

Shifting narratives around Oregon’s nursing workforce reveal a more complex reality than a simple shortage. Growth in licensed professionals contrasts with persistent hiring challenges across specific regions and care settings. A closer look highlights how workforce distribution and employment conditions shape access to care across the state.
2024 Working as a Nurse in Oregon
2024–2025 Snapshot: Nursing Education in Oregon
Nursing Supply Infographic 2024

A visual overview highlights the composition, education, and practice settings of nurses across Oregon’s healthcare system. Key graphics illustrate who makes up the workforce and where care is delivered throughout the state. Designed for quick insight, the infographic offers a snapshot of nursing’s central role in Oregon’s health infrastructure.
BRIEF: Oregon’s Nurse Vacancy Crisis

Oregon’s nursing workforce is growing, yet critical care roles remain unfilled. Traditional shortage narratives fail to capture deeper retention challenges affecting direct care. This brief reframes the problem and outlines urgent strategies to stabilize and support the profession.
How Much Do Oregon’s Registered Nurses Earn? 2023 Oregon Wage Study

Compensation insights from more than 1,800 Oregon nurses uncover striking wage disparities by setting, role, and geography. From public health to hospital work, the findings offer a deep dive into how pay structures impact equity and sustainability in the nursing workforce. The report empowers leaders with data to guide retention and workforce planning.
Filling the Gap: An Examination of Oregon Registered Nurses Licensed Through Endorsement

Oregon’s growing nurse demand increasingly depends on nurses licensed through endorsement. This report explores where these nurses practice and how that impacts healthcare access. Insights reveal how rural and non-hospital settings may face widening staffing gaps if current trends persist.
Issues Facing the Post-Pandemic Nursing Workforce in Oregon

COVID-19 intensified Oregon’s existing nursing workforce challenges, disrupting education pipelines and stressing care delivery systems. This report explores how these shifts affect nurse training, licensure trends, and frontline well-being. Nurse migration patterns and burnout risks reveal vulnerabilities that require immediate and strategic attention.
Trends in Oregon Nursing Education 2012–18

Nursing education in Oregon is evolving, but not fast enough to meet projected workforce needs. While BSN programs are growing, ADN and LPN pathways show stagnation or decline. This analysis highlights long-term trends shaping the state’s ability to “grow its own” nursing workforce.
Shortage or Maldistribution: Shifting the Conversation About Oregon’s Nursing Workforce

Misconceptions about a statewide nursing shortage often overshadow a more pressing issue: maldistribution. This analysis reveals how workforce imbalance affects rural regions and non-hospital settings. OCN’s research encourages targeted action by identifying critical disparities in nurse availability across Oregon.