Labour force - nurses and midwives

Nursing overview

Nurses and midwives are trained to provide services to promote, maintain and restore health and well-being. Most work in acute care hospitals, while others work in nursing homes and in community health centres. In terms of skill levels and areas of responsibility, the nursing workforce is not homogeneous, but varies widely according to the type of care being provided, and between work settings from operating theatres to community care.

For ease of discussion, throughout this site the term 'nurse' includes midwives.

Nurses are classified into two broad categories: registered nurses (usually with a degree), who make up the majority of all nurses, and enrolled nurses (usually a certificate or advanced diploma). Although the level of expertise varies within these groups, in general, registered nurses perform more complex medical procedures and hold more responsibility than do enrolled nurses. For instance, in most jurisdictions only registered nurses have the authority to administer medications. In general, registered nurses are more likely to be employed in critical or intensive care and less likely in geriatrics/gerontology; more likely to be employed in acute care hospitals and less likely in nursing homes; less likely to be working part-time; and more likely to work in capital cities, than enrolled nurses.

All employed nurses

Overall, nursing supply increased by 7.6% between 2003 and 2007, from 1,017 to 1,095 FTE nurses per 100,000 population based on a 38-hour week. This was mainly a result of both an 11.3% increase in the number of employed nurses and a 2.5% increase in the average hours they worked over this period.

Employed registered and enrolled nurses: selected characteristics, 2007

Type of nurse	Number	Per cent male	Average age	Per cent aged 50 years and over	Average hours per week	FTE rate
Registered	212,342	9.6	43.8	33.3	33.6	891
Enrolled	50,990	9.5	43.4	31.7	31.9	203
Total	263,331	9.6	43.7	33.0	33.3	1095

The number of registered and enrolled nurses employed as nurses in Australia between 2003 and 2007 was estimated to have increased by 11.3%, from 236,645 to 263,331. Between 2003 and 2007, the overall proportion of nurses working 50 hours or more rose, from 5.5% to 6.3%, while the proportion working part-time decreased, from 50.1% to 48.1%.

Age

The average age of nurses increased between 2003 and 2007, although it decreased slightly for enrolled nurses over this period. In 2003, the average age of employed nurses was 43.1 years (43.0 years for registered and 43.5 years for enrolled nurses). In 2007, the average age was 43.7 years (43.8 years for registered and 43.4 years for enrolled nurses). The nursing workforce continued to age, with the proportion of nurses aged 50 years or over increasing from 28.2% to 33.0%. over the same period.

Male participation

Although nursing is a predominantly female occupation, the proportion of males is increasing. In 2007, males comprised 9.6% of employed nurses, which is up from 8.6% in 2003. The proportion of both registered and enrolled nurses who were male increased between 2003 and 2007 (from 8.6% to 9.6%, and 8.8% to 9.5% respectively).

Employment sector

The profile of nurses by employment sector changed little between 2003 and 2007, with around two-thirds of nurses employed in the public sector (67.2% in 2003 and 66.0% in 2007). In 2007, nurses employed in the public sector worked an average of 2.3 hours per week more than nurses employed in the private sector.

Publications

• Nursing and midwifery labour force 2007 (16 October 2009)
• Nursing and midwifery labour force 2005 (18 January 2008)
• Nursing and midwifery labour force 2004 (20 December 2006)