Background
The characteristics and size of the nursing workforce in the world are changing, partly due to the shortage of nurses. Surveys on the supply of nurses have advanced understanding of the structure of the nursing workforce, the identification of deficiencies and the planning of training.
 
Study objectives
1. To examine the characteristics of RN employment
2. To examine mobility within and out of nursing employment
3. To forecast the future supply of RNs, considering future workforce entry and exit
4. To learn about RNs' attitudes toward their jobs and the nursing employment.

Methodology
(1) Nationwide telephone survey among a random sample of 10% of all RNs of working age (n=3,200 RNs) between October 2008 to February 2009.
(2) Analysis of administrative data.

Results
Most RNs (89%) are employed, 67% in full time positions. The workforce is mature (45% over 45), highly skilled (55%) have advanced training (48% have BA degree, 18% MA degree or PhD), and stable: very few leave nursing completely, the likelihood remaining working after 10 years is 93% and 88% after 20 years; mobility is mostly from hospitals to the community. We found a gap between the percentage of respondents who reported being very satisfied with the workplace and the job (79%) and the percentage that reported being very satisfied with the nursing profession (61%). The supply projections show there will be a steady decline in the overall projected number of RNs in the workforce – from approximately 28,500 working as nurses in 2008 to approximately 23,700 twenty years later, in 2028, a decline of about 17 percent at the end of that period.

Conclusions
The study confirm the perceptions of several actors in the health system about the work characteristics of nurses in Israel. It also contributes to more accurate supply projections and to policy decisions regarding size of training programs and workforce recruitment. 
 
(1) Myers-JDC-Brookdale Institute
(2) Ministry of Health
(3) Haddasah Medical Organization

Research number: R/54/2007