Nurses by the Numbers
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Please help spread the word. You may embed the image in your blog or on other sites so long as you reference the original source. We are planning on creating a few more graphics as well. Any feedback on how this one could be improved or what other topics you would like to see is greatly appreciated!
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November 4th, 2009 at 2:57 pm
fun way to present interesting facts! i’d love to know where you found all of your sources for this data
November 5th, 2009 at 3:06 pm
I think i will follow in the footsteps of Greg Focker now… 6 figures and surrounded by female nurses everywhere I work… might not be so bad
November 6th, 2009 at 10:39 pm
Wonderful poster and I would like to use it on my blog but the embedded code makes the picture size too large to fit on my page and leaves about a quarter cut off. Any way to make it just a tad thinner?
Thanks
November 7th, 2009 at 12:13 am
This is fantastic. A true eye-opener. I’m a senior nursing student in Canada, and we’re told about this shortage everyday. We do get a taste of it on the clinical floor, but I’m sure nothing like an experienced nurse goes through day in and day out. Posters like these really put things into perspective. Excellent job, great concept, great idea. Attractive piece for sure. Thank you to all the nurses out there, you’re all fantastic. I’m excited to become one among you!
November 7th, 2009 at 4:22 am
Thank you for this. This made my night after getting off shift.
Jason F., LPN
Florida
November 7th, 2009 at 12:19 pm
My significant other is an LPN. In reviewing your statistics, the real issue is evident. Nurses who are actually involved in true patient care (LPNs and Nurses Aides) amount to the smallest percentage of nurses overall. The rest, and the ones that are actually paid reasonable salaries, are paper-pushers (RNs).
Salary equity would be an excellent start if we are really concerned about the lack of nurses available for patient care.
November 7th, 2009 at 3:39 pm
Hello,..my name is Mark Saint Aubyn and I was very inspired by the info on your website and am curious to know how we at HerPersonal can help in the effort to get higher compensation for all nurses.
Thanks and
God
Bless,
Mark Saint Aubyn
November 16th, 2009 at 9:07 pm
I have been an RN for 31 years. I am very proud of the work I do. The work is very difficult at times – last week I was verbally accosted and threatened by a patient’s family. This is not the first or the last time.
We need more nurses. This is a good way to start getting the word out. But, our nursing school in town has a huge waiting list. Many people do everything to qualify, then are turned down year after year. We need more educators and larger schools if we are to increase the number of nurses in this country.
Please correct the grammar in your end statement – it should be “dying because there ARE not enough nurses…”
Thanks,
Joan RN
December 7th, 2009 at 5:14 am
[…] VizWorld via NursingSchool.org Social Media […]
December 21st, 2009 at 8:12 am
Next time compile such a statistics on FNPs and CFNP
By the way this is a good to know information for those aspiring to join the profession
December 28th, 2009 at 1:12 pm
Thank you for finally including LPN’s as nurses. LPN’s are always pushed aside even though we do as much as RN’s may do. I have been a LPN for 33yrs and have some brutal comments made to me about LPN’s such as “oh, you’re not a REAL nurse”. Your poster and site is awsome.
December 29th, 2009 at 2:02 pm
I would LOVE to purchase this as a poster to hang in our breakroom, just to put things into perspective. Any chances it will be produced in that format?
February 7th, 2010 at 8:38 pm
So, so true-nursing takes a toll on the body-patients are more heavy than farm animals and are in need of more care-no one tells a young nurse the toll that will be required if one stays in nursing-it will be great as well as the satisfaction of doing a job well done. It has been worth it but at a tremendous cost-more nurses are needed
April 12th, 2010 at 1:55 pm
is this available as a poster? I am a school nurse, and would love to use it in a display about nursing. thanks, marla ewing mmewing81@hotmail.com or nurse@montezuma.k12.ia.us
June 28th, 2010 at 9:16 am
How can I get a copy of this nursing school.org poster to hang in our nursing dept at the college where I teach?
June 28th, 2010 at 11:37 am
Wow… amazing info! I was particularly intrigued by the bit about paid nursing having been a predominantly male profession up until a hundred years ago… never heard about that in nursing school, but they did show us a film in which a woman stated that nursing had been, and always will be, women’s work. I found that a tad sexist, but oh well.
August 25th, 2010 at 11:52 pm
To the poster who said lpn’s and cna’s are the only ones who do “real patient care” while rn’s are paper pushers… Take your ugly rhetoric elsewhere. All nurses and aides play an integral role and it’s about time we dropped the infighting and came together. As for the poster I love it, and will try to post It on facebook…my one caveat is that it gives theimpression that the nursing shortage is caused by a lack of nursing school grads…what I’m seeing as a new grad LPN ( and others across the country who I’ve spoken to have said the same) is that the market is actually flooded with nurses looking for jobs-especially new grads-but they aren’t being hired because of budjet cuts and hiring freezes, and these administrators think that they can just double a nurses patient load and let her drown to save a couple bucks. I still support the promotion of nursing education, but maybe someone could make a similar poster for management?
October 15th, 2010 at 7:08 pm
What a great infographic! It really makes those who don’t realize appreciate what nurses have to put up. Quite interesting to see the earnings disparity, I guess that’s why the Bay Area is so expensive. I have a cousin who’s a nurse in the MICU at UVa and she’ll love this. Thanks for sharing it!
October 18th, 2010 at 4:06 am
What a great poster to add to our blog at
http://www.fancyscrubs.com/blog
Thanks for sharing!
February 21st, 2011 at 1:30 pm
RN’s are NOT just paper pushers. LPN’s and RN’s are very comparable in the amount of work they do. I take great offense to the comment above saying that RN’s don’t work. I worked with plenty of LPN’s in the hospital. I usually had to tell them what to do. They couldn’t even do IV drips unless they are certified which a lot are not. Please don’t speak unless you know what you are talking about!
March 25th, 2011 at 1:23 pm
I am writing this comment to represent the thoughts of a group of nursing students who have seen this poster/image.
I appreciated the statistics; however, what I found very inappropriate were the statistics you included regarding all of the “crap” in nursing. Was this professional, necessary, or pertinent information to include in this otherwise well-designed poster? Is this the image you want to portray to non-nursing individuals? I understand you were making statements how nurses are overworked and underpayed, I just feel as if those comments took it a step too far.
I think it is great to spread the word on the shortage of nurses, and find Encouraging ways to have people join our work force. I felt as if this poster was degrading to our profession. If you are trying to recruit more nurse, or applaud the ones who already are it would behoove you to include more positive statistics.
Thanks for allowing people to comment.
October 21st, 2011 at 8:51 pm
TO Hunter Oaks –
I am an RN, BSN. I work exclusively in ICUs, DOUs, step-downs, and PCUs. NONE of these units utilize LPNs or even CNAs. To work at a place with acute care where the entirety of the work is not being done by the RN is a luxury. With many hospitals losing money, they won’t pay for techs or aides anymore and an LPN is not considered an advanced enough degree to care for these patients on their own. I do ALL of my own patient care. Because there is no help, when a nurse has a problem (like 300 lbs of poop) the only other person there to help is another RN.
It is my understanding that your description of “paper pushers” might apply to some nursing homes, but in rehab facilities, skilled nursing facilities, most of the floors in any hospital, etc, etc, the RN is the one doing the work. I promise.
March 5th, 2012 at 1:51 am
I agree with you Lisa – I am an RN, will finish my BSN this year – i work on a psych unit – we have no LPN’s or aides or psych techs – The RN’s DO IT ALL for both shifts days and nights. I leave work some nights feeling like I have been hit by a mack truck. We care for some geri patients who are total care, we are changing diapers, moving patients in bed, and sometimes we are assaulted and verbally abused too. I love what I do, but I don’t appreciate others stating that RN’s are paper pushers – I would be a secretary if I wanted to push papers.
September 12th, 2012 at 12:11 pm
I also love this and would like to know how to get a paper copy to post at the high school I work at.
Thanks,
September 26th, 2012 at 7:56 pm
This is a well done graphic visually and many of these statistics are great to bring to light. I wanted to share it with others for some of the great points highlighted, but won’t be doing that for a few reasons. I have been a nurse for 8 years and I don’t agree with highlighting on the graphic the actual amount of “crap” dealt with. I feel this is very degrading to patients and their families. I have worked in neurosurgery and among patients that have spinal cord injuries preventing their ability to control their bowel movements. I would never want to make people or their families feel as though their natural processes are such a publicized burden on the whole society of nursing.
I feel this portion is not professional and does not convey the profession of nursing which advocates for their patients’ dignity and strives to treat each patient as they would treat their own family.
I’m sorry but I wonder how that statistic on lbs of feces even got researched? If we are trying to elicit more interest into the field of nursing we should highlight many of the amazing, rewarding aspects of being a nurse.
I would never chose another career. I have worked in 5 different areas in 8 years: Spinal Cord Injury & Stroke Rehab, Neurosurgery ICU, Home Health, PACU and now I do local travel nursing. I love my career and am the best personal advertisement for the field of nursing to everyone I meet. I think the goal of this graphic is confusing and begs the question for the website managers- are we trying to complain here or trying to encourage the future generation, who will one day be taking care of us to see the profession of nursing as an honor and privilege or one full of drudgery, complaining, and money-driven?
This is the same generation that we are trying to recruit and train to take care of us and our families, who hopefully don’t have the same micro-focus on their woes of dealing with “crap”. Nurses get to go home at the end of the day and should be thankful that for now they are not the ones that can’t help the fact they are incontinent. Is this the patient’s fault? Would it be your fault if you were in an accident tomorrow and nurses kept griping about having to deal with “your crap”? I hope not. I hope they would have compassion, integrity, and be advocates of dignity for you without complaining because this profession requires a great deal of character which is far from what this graphic displays.
September 29th, 2012 at 11:29 am
Here in my area both the major trauma center hospitals don’t even employ LPN’s……RN’s do all the work. You are sadly misinformed, my friend. Only in nursing homes
does that situation usually occur, and it’s mot right.
October 23rd, 2012 at 1:18 pm
I think the nursing shortage is due to the fact that they won’t hire new graduates and train them. There’s lots of nursing jobs out there: if you have two year’s experience. I’ve been working on Med/Surg for three years as a CNA in California (and no, we don’t make 18 an hour) and have been a “new grad” LVN for over a year, no job, nothing.
I’ve seen new grad RNs working as volunteers. It’s sad that companies aren’t willing to train the flock of new nurses, and would rather see their patients suffer than have two months of precepting.
November 2nd, 2012 at 7:13 pm
Great statistical poster, but you should double check your grammar in the last paragraph. You used a singular and plural reference in the same paragraph. If we are educated enough to take care of patients, we should be able to write grammatically correct paragraphs.
December 1st, 2012 at 2:04 am
Great poster! Includes a lot of interesting data, presented in an interesting way! Nice job! I would like to say, as I’ve seen mentioned above…I don’t really see any evidence of a “nursing shortage”; I graduated with my RN almost one year ago…Most places consider anyone who has obtained a license in the last 12 months a “new grad”; so many places will not even consider a new grad for hire; hospitals in particular require one year hospital experience (clinicals don’t count) to be considered for a hospital position, yet nobody will hire someone without it, so how does one get in the required one year experience? If there was truly a shortage, finding work (outside of a nursing home) would be simple….And to be honest, every nursing home I’ve applied to has several applicants to choose from; this market is flooded! I wish I’d have found a hospital job as an aide prior to graduation; seems about the only way to get out of the nursing home!
December 10th, 2012 at 6:36 pm
I’m an LVN in the process of becoming an RN. What an LVN/PN can & cannot do depends on which state one is talking about. In California, LVNs work in Psych and in some acute hospitals. I didn’t care for the “paper pusher” comment made by Hunter Oaks, because I’ve worked with RNs who are very hardworking. And I mean floor nurses, staff nurses, not administrators. I wish I could’ve worked with Kathleen, who has to tell LPNs what to do. I’ve never worked in a nursing home. I do my own blood draws, my own IVs, whatever is within my scope of CA practice and facility policy. I’m ACLS certified. I’ve worked a lot of codes. I’m a preceptor. Did my own glucose checks and wound care. I can and have filled in as charge. This gives you some idea of my usual workload. I’ve met only a few LVNs with a comparable background but they’re out there. I’m working toward an RN degree, NOT because I want to “push paper” (yeah, like Kathy, I’d be a secretary if that’s what I wanted), but because I want to be in a position to do more for my patients. And if ever paper becomes my thing, I’ll go into nursing management and/or teaching. Hunter, I think your SO may just be a little resentful and perhaps he/she doesn’t really understand that the so-called “paper pushing” RNs have great responsibility, more so than your SO.
I just licensed by endorsement in Oregon and will complete my education there.
Good luck to all and Happy Holidays!
February 5th, 2013 at 7:17 pm
So the population of Louisiana is 4.4Million and Georgia alone is 9.9 million. So the numbers here start out wrong. But I do get them wanting to make a point about the number of Nurses.
April 16th, 2014 at 11:52 pm
1) There are not enough nurses.
2) Nursing CARE is divided among several categories of nursing Care-GIVERS: no one category is more or less important than another, as each level of care is essential to the whole picture of CARE-GIVING, but each level is [can be] trained and educated to a different pattern of practice and knowledge, i.e. what I was trained to do and learned about and to do as an In Home Support Services aide was different to what I was trained to do and learned to do [and certified to do] as a CNA and again as an Associate of Science in Nursing RN and again as a Bachelor of Science in Nursing RN. What I was trained to do and learned to do in general Med-Surg was different to what was expected and needed in mostly geriatric community ICCU and again different in level three Trauma Center PICU/NICU and now again in Home Care of Medically Fragile children, but I use EVERY BIT of everything I learned from IHSS to BSN/PICU/NICU in my practice, every shift. Categorically denying or equating one pattern of practice with another is a kind of insanity that ignores the greater value of nursing CARE-GIVING.
3) Comparing salaries/wages in different areas and in different patterns of practice as though they are equivalent is misleading. Is the state a Union state, a Right to Work state, or an At Will state? What’s the standard of living? How many hospital beds are funded in that area, and what’s the nurse-patient/nurse-administrator ratio look like? How, and how well, are extended care and home care facilities/agencies regulated? What is reimbursement like?
4) Still, my caveats aside, this is a better graphic than most I’ve seen, and I’m glad you put it together and made it share-able. The more we can talk about nursing, the better.
September 19th, 2014 at 11:13 am
Can we talk about all the nurses struggling looking for jobs but not getting hired???