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This Article Figures Only Full Text Full Text (PDF) All Versions of this Article: AJPH.2005.072330v1 97/5/895    most recent Submit a response View Shopping Cart Alert me when this article is cited Alert me when eLetters are posted Alert me if a correction is posted Services Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in Web of Science Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Web of Science (4) Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Polsky, D. Articles by Sochalski, J. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Polsky, D. Articles by Sochalski, J. Related Collections Global Health Health Policy Health Professionals Immigration

Daniel Polsky, PhD, Sara J. Ross, MPA/ID, Barbara L. Brush, PhD, RN and Julie Sochalski, PhD, RN

Daniel Polsky is with the School of Medicine and the Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia. At the time of the study, Sara J. Ross was with the School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia. Barbara L. Brush is with the University of Michigan School of Nursing, Ann Arbor. Julie Sochalski is with the School of Nursing, University of Pennsylvania, and the Leonard Davis Institute of Health Economics, Philadelphia.

Correspondence: Requests for reprints should be sent to Daniel Polsky, PhD, 423 Guardian Dr, Blockley Hall, Rm 1212, Philadelphia, PA 19104 (e-mail: polsky{at}mail.med.upenn.edu).

Objectives. We describe long-term trends in the characteristics of foreign-trained new entrants to the registered nurse (RN) workforce in the United States.

Methods. Using the 1990 and 2000 US Census 5% Public Use Microdata Sample files, we compared trends in characteristics of US- and foreign-trained new entrants to the RN labor force (n=40827) and identified trends in the country of origin of the foreign-trained new entrants.

Results. Foreign-trained RNs grew as a percentage of new entrants to the RN workforce, from 8.8% in 1990 to 15.2% in 2000. Compared with US-trained RNs, foreign-trained RNs were 3 times as likely to work in nursing homes and were more likely to have earned a bachelor’s degree. In 2000, 21% of foreign-trained RNs originated from low-income countries, a doubling of the rate since 1990.

Conclusions. Foreign-trained RNs now account for a substantial and growing proportion of the US RN workforce. Our findings suggest foreign-trained RNs entering the United States are not of lower quality than US-trained RNs. However, growth in the proportion of RNs from low-income countries may have negative consequences in those countries.

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