Daniel Polsky ^1*, Sara J. Ross ², Barbara L. Brush ³, Julie Sochalski ⁴

¹ School of Medicine, The Wharton School at the Univeristy of Pennsylvania
² New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene
³ The University of Michigan School of Nursing
⁴ School of Nursing, University of Pennsylvania

^* To whom correspondence should be addressed. E-mail: polsky{at}mail.med.upenn.edu.

	Abstract

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.

Key Words: Global Health, Health Policy, Health Professionals, Immigration

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