PORTLAND, ORE. – Nurses continue to be the largest group of health professions working in Oregon, outnumbering physicians 3-to-1, according to the Oregon Health Authority’s newly released report “Oregon Health Professions: Occupational and County Profiles,” a collaborative project of the Oregon Center for Nursing (OCN), Oregon Healthcare Workforce Institute and the Oregon Health Authority.
“Registered nurses are the largest of all the health professions in Oregon,” said Jana R. Bitton, Executive Director of the Oregon Center for Nursing. “As the largest, it stands to reason that nurses contribute a great deal to the care of Oregonians. Understanding changes within this profession is crucial to the state’s ability to provide care without interruption.”
The number of registered nurses licensed and working in Oregon grew to almost 39,000 in 2014, an 8 percent increase since 2010. The new report also shows one-half of all registered nurses hold a bachelor’s degree or higher, more than a third (36 percent) are 55 years of age or older, and approximately 27 percent plan to retire in the next 10 years.
Published biennially, the 2014 “Oregon Health Professions: Occupational and County Profiles” report includes information from 10 health profession licensing boards and the 21 professions. To view the full report, visit the Oregon Health Authority’s Healthcare Workforce Reporting page or OCN’s Publications page at www.oregoncenterfornursing.org.
OCN is a nonprofit organization created by nursing leaders in 2002. OCN facilitates research and collaboration for Oregon’s nursing workforce to support informed, well-prepared, diverse and exceptional nursing professionals. OCN fulfills its mission through nurse workforce research, building partnerships, and advocating for nursing and healthcare. For more information about OCN, please visit www.oregoncenterfornursing.org.
