Research

NCSBN conducts cutting-edge, award-winning research that supports evidence-based regulatory decisions for patient safety and public protection.

334 thousand+ nurses participated in the 2022 National Workforce Survey

Featured Research

Nursing at the Crossroads: A Call to Action

NCSBN's recently released research projects a significant nursing workforce shortage in the wake of the COVID-19 Pandemic. This presentation details how the pandemic impacted nurses, how many left the workforce in this period and forecasts how many more plan to leave nursing. The presentation also includes a panel discussion with nursing leaders on possible solutions.

 

Recently Completed Research

National Prelicensure RN Study: Assessing the Impact of COVID-19 on Nursing Education

This longitudinal study includes more than 1,100 student and faculty participants affiliated with 51 prelicensure RN programs located across 27 states. Leveraging more than 4,000 course observations collected from fall 2020 to spring 2022, this study illuminates the breadth, scale, and ever-evolving nature of prelicensure RN programs’ efforts to maintain the continuity of nursing students’ education during the public health crisis.

2022 workforce report

The National Nursing Workforce Survey generates information on the supply of nurses in the country, which is critical to workforce planning, and to ensure a safe and effective health care system.

Recent Research Publications

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Examining the Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Burnout and Stress Among U.S. Nurses

The COVID-19 pandemic has amplified long-standing issues of burnout and stress among the U.S. nursing workforce, renewing concerns of projected staffing shortages. Understanding how these issues affect nurses’ intent to leave the profession is critical to accurate workforce modeling.

Evaluating the Impact of Executive Orders Lifting Restrictions on Advanced Practice Registered Nurses During the COVID-19 Pandemic

In the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic, strains on the healthcare system forced many U.S. states to revisit long-standing statutory limitations on the care coordinated by advanced practice registered nurses (APRNs). This was done by issuing waivers via executive, legislative, or board of nursing orders.