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The Kansas State Department of Human Resources recently released a study of occupational employment throughout the state. The data was compiled using data collected from the unemployment insurance program and the Occupational and Employment Survey (OES). The study projects employment by industry and occupation from the year 2000-2010. Projected demand for occupational employment is significantly affected by the projected employment for industries.

In 2000, the population of Kansas was approximately 2.7 million with the majority of residents living in urban areas. Kansas has consistently experienced unemployment rates below the nation as a whole. In 1998 the state unemployment rate was 3.8% compared to a national unemployment rate of 4.5%. Currently the Kansas unemployment rate stands at 5.2% and the national 5.8%.

The study is based on a long term view of the state's economy and assumes that in 2010 the state's economy will be operating more or less at its full potential. Outside factors such as the war in Iraq on oil prices or the likelihood that currently unknown technologies will substantially change the nature of the state's economy were not factored in.

The study first projected employment by industry using current and historical data from the state's unemployment insurance program. Next, data from the OES was used to create staffing patterns by industry, and finally when the two were combined occupational projections were produced.

National Trends

While the outlook for nurses in Kansas appears to be steadily improving, on a national scale things may not be so promising. Studies show that in the United States there are on average 773 RNs to every 100,000 people. However, despite this fact, job prospects in nursing are very good.

Currently there are more than 2.6 million licensed RNs in the United States and of these 2.6 million 2.2 million of these licensed RNs are employed in nursing. 71.6 percent of licensed RNs work full time compared with only 28.4 percent who work part time. Of these 2.6 million RNs approximately 7.3 percent are advanced practice nurses.

The registered nurse workforce as a whole is aging. The average age of an RN in 2004 is 45.2 , where as in 1996 the average age was 44.3, and in 1980 over 50 percent of RNs were under 40. National nursing trends suggest a peak in nurses working full time in 2007 followed by a steady decline. Because the occupation is large, this indicates that thousands of job openings will result from the need to replace experienced nurses who leave the occupation, especially as the median age of the registered nurse population continues to rise.

Some states report current and projected shortages of RNs, primarily due to an aging RN workforce and recent declines in nursing school enrollments.

Employment in hospitals, the current largest sector of employment, employing 59.1 percent of all RNs, is expected to grow more slowly than in other healthcare sectors. While the intensity of nursing care is likely to increase, requiring more nurses per patient, the number of hospital inpatients is unlikely to increase. Rapid growth is expected in hospital outpatient facilities, such as those In evolving integrated health care networks, nurses may rotate among employment settings. Because jobs in traditional hospital nursing positions are no longer the only option, RNs will need to be flexible. Opportunities should be excellent, particularly for nurses with advanced education and training, as the American Journal of Nursing reports that there are more than 126,000 unfilled nursing positions.

Kansas

Registered nurses were listed in the top three for occupations adding the most jobs, adding more than 6,000 to the profession. In 2000, average employment of RNs stood at 22,120. Registered nurses are projected to experience a 31.1 percent growth or the addition of 6,890 new jobs by the year 2010. RNs maintaining an active license and Kansas residency total 28,044. (Kansas Board of Nursing FY2003 report: not a total of RNs actually practicing nursing.)

RNs are also considered a high demand occupation, placing in the top five for Kansas, resulting from growth and replacement. To be considered high demand, the occupation must have at least 5,000 total job openings. These openings are a result of both growth and replacements. RNs are projected to experience a growth of over 11,000 jobs in the next decade.

New job increases are also projected for nursing aides: In 2000 there were 18,800 nursing aides and orderlies employed. Nursing aides and orderlies made the Kansas Top 10 Occupations Adding the Most Jobs List as well as the High Demand Occupations list. Aides and orderlies are expected to experience a growth of 29.8 percent with the addition of 8,000 new jobs.

The report breaks Kansas into 7 areas that encompass several counties per area. The following is a brief summary of each area's projections.

North East Kansas:

17 counties; [Atchison, Brown, Clay, Doniphan, Douglas, Franklin, Geary, Jackson, Jefferson, Marshall, Nemaha, Osage, Pottawatomie, Riley, Shawnee, Wabaunsee, Washington.]

Major employment centers include Topeka, Lawrence, Manhattan, and Junction City. Total industry employment for the region is projected to increase 15.3 percent with a total increase of 41,720.

RNs are ranked second in the Top 10 Occupations Adding the Most Jobs while nursing aides and orderlies ranked fifth. RNs are projected to increase 31.1 percent while aides and orderlies are expected to grow 30.0 percent.

Kansas City:

4 counties: [Johnson, Leavenworth, Miami, Wyandotte.]

The region is the most densely population in the state. RNs are considered to be one of the Kansas City top 10 occupations adding the most jobs by 2010. The area is projected to experience a 27.8 percent increase in nursing positions. Nursing aides and orderlies also made the top 10 list of occupations adding the most jobs, with a projected growth of 30.9 percent by 2010.

South Central Kansas:

7 counties: [Butler, Cowley, Harper, Harvey, Kingman, Sedgwick, Sumner.]

The city of Wichita is the major employment center in the south central region. Total employment is expected to increase by approximately 15 percent, for a total increase of 49,800.

RNs, nursing aides and orderlies all made the top 10 occupations adding the most jobs, with RNs projected to experince a 29.8 percent growth in jobs by 2010 and nursing aides/orderlies will add 1,400 jobs at a rate of 30.9 percent.

South East Kansas:

17 counties : [Allen, Anderson, Bourbon, Chase, Chautauqua, Cherokee, Coffey, Crawford, Elk, Greenwood, Labette, Linn, Lyon, Montgomery, Neosho, Wilson, Woodson.]

Major employment centers include Emporia, Pittsburg, Coffeyville, and Parsons.

Registered nurses and nursing aides/orderlies are listed second and fourth respectively in occupations adding the most jobs. Both are also listed under the fastest growing occupations sector. RNs will add 590 jobs at a rate of 30.6 percent, and nursing aides are projected to add 29.6 percent or 480 new jobs by 2010.

South West Kansas:

21 counties: [Barber, Clark, Comanche, Edwards, Finney, Ford, Grant, Gray, Hamilton, Haskell, Hodgeman, Kearny, Kiowa, Meade, Morton, Pawnee, Pratt, Seward, Stafford, Stanton, Stevens.]

Major employment centers include Garden City, Dodge City, and Liberal, where the major industries include livestock production, meat processing, education and health services.

RNs, nursing aides and orderlies are both listed in the top four of the top 10 occupations adding the most jobs. Nursing aides and orderlies are projected to experience a 30.9 percent growth of 1,400 in jobs by 2010 and RNs will add 1,690 jobs at a rate of 32.1 percent.

North Central Kansas:

14 counties: [Cloud, Dickinson, Ellsworth, Jewell, Lincoln, McPherson, Marion, Mitchell, Morris, Ottawa, Reno, Republic, Rice, Saline.]

Primary employment centers include Salina, Hutchinson, and McPherson. There is a heavy concentration of employment in health services.

RNs, nursing aides and orderlies are listed in the top five in both the top 10 occupations adding the most jobs and the fastest growing occupations categories. RNs are expected to experience a growth of 650 jobs at 31.1 percent and nursing aides and orderlies are expected to increase 29.1 percent or 510 jobs.

North West Kansas:

25 counties: [Barton, Cheyenne, Decatur, Ellis, Gave, Graham, Greeley, Lane, Logan, Ness, Norton, Osborne, Phillips, Rawlins, Rooks, Rush, Russell, Scott, Sheridan, Sherman, Smith, Thomas, Trego, Wallace, Wichita.]

This area has the lowest population density of all the regions. Major employment centers are Hays and Great Bend. Agriculture and health care are the major employment sectors in the region.

RNs and nursing aides/orderlies are listed second and fourth respectively in the top 10 occupations adding the most jobs. RNs will add 460 jobs at a rate of 31.1 percent, and nursing aides and orderlies are projected to add 25.4 percent or 360 new jobs by 2010.