February 2007
Preface
This report summarizes the findings of
a research study conducted to identify
and evaluate different methods for assessing
the extent to which health care facilities
and geographic areas are experiencing
shortages of registered nurses (RNs).
It documents the strengths and weaknesses
of different methods and identifies approaches
that appear to be especially effective
or promising. A companion report is available
that provides additional details about
the different statistical models and analyses
summarized in this report.
The study was conducted by the Center
for Health Workforce Studies (the
Center)
at the School of Public Health at the
University at Albany, State University
of New York under a contract with the
Division of Shortage Designation at the
Health Resources and Services Administration
(HRSA) of the USDHHS. The report was prepared
by Paul Wing, Sandra McGinnis, and Jean
Moore of the Center staff, with the assistance
of Zulkarnain Pulungan, Tracey Continelli,
and Ajita De, all graduate research assistants
at the Center. The authors acknowledge
the contributions of Diane Douglas, the
HRSA project officer, and her colleagues
from HRSA for their help in framing the
tasks to be performed and reviewing drafts
of documents. The contributions of a formal
advisory committee are also gratefully
acknowledged. Responsibility for the accuracy
of the report rests solely with the authors.
The study team gratefully acknowledges
the special contributions of Linda Lacey
of the North Carolina Center for Nursing
to this research effort. The provision
of the responses to their surveys made
possible much of the empirical analysis
conducted in the early phases of the study.
The cooperation of Patricia Moulton of
the Center for Rural Health at UND in
North Dakota, who also provided data for
analysis, is also acknowledged. Other
organizations and states are also acknowledged
for their assistance early in the study
by participating in discussions of possible
pilot testing of different methods, including
agencies in Iowa, California, Delaware,
and Pennsylvania.
The Center
was established in 1996 to collect, analyze,
and present data about health care workers
to inform provider, professional, government,
and education organizations; policy makers;
and the public. Today, the Center
is a national leader in the field of health
workforce studies. It supports and improves
health workforce planning and access to
quality health care through its efforts
to compile, collect, track, analyze, evaluate,
and disseminate information about the
health workforce at the national, state,
and local levels.
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