Minnesota Health Workforce Demographics

MINNESOTA’S AGING REGISTERED NURSE WORKFORCE

  • The median age of active Minnesota registered nurses increased from 42 in 1994 to 47 in 2005.
  • Forty-three percent were 50 years or older in 2005, compared to only 23 percent in 1993.

A large peak bubble of registered nurses (RNs) was passing through the 46-52 age bracket in 2004. This bubble is being followed by a much smaller number of RNs. There were only 66 percent as many RNs aged 35-44 as aged 45-54. There is a slight upturn in numbers of nurses in their early 30s, but nothing approaching the numbers of older nurses who will be retiring over the next 10-15 years. The impact on the total nursing workforce is not easy to interpret because many RNs work as LPNS or in other fields before coming to registered nursing.

graph of active MN RNs by age

graph of median age of active MN RNs

graph: percent of MN RNs age 50+

Updated Tuesday, 16-Nov-2010 12:28:41 CST