Nursing the Trends

"The average age of an RN is 45.2; the average age in 1996 was 44.3 years. IN 1980, 52.9% of RNs were under 40. According to the 2000 data, 31.7% were under 40. A recent exhaustive study by Buerhaus and colleagues in the Journal of the American Medical Association predicted that the total number of equivalent RNs per capita working full time would peak around the year 2007 and decline steadily thereafter as the largest cohorts of RNs retire. By 2020, according to the study, the RN workforce will be roughly the same size as it is now, which will be 20% below projected demand."

Source: Toni Inglis, "Nursing the Trends: Nurses have more employment options than ever," American Journal of Nursing 2004 Career Guide, January 2004, p. 25.