TheNATIONALHEALTHWORKFORCEDATASET(NHWDS)
NURSE PRACTITIONERS2016
THE NURSEPRACTITIONER WORKFORCE
The Nurse Practitioner 2016 registered workforce (1,417) has increased by 54.2% (498) compared with the workforce in 2013 (919), with an average annual increase of 15.5%.
Of the 1,340 employed Nurse Practitioners, 138 held a dual registration and worked an average of 8.7 hours per week in midwifery.
HOURS WORKED
In 2016, registered and employed Nurse Practitioners (“Workforce”) worked an average of 39.6 total hours per week. In comparison, in 2013 the average total hours worked per week was 40.8, a decrease of 1.2 hours per week.
In 2016, the Workforce worked an average of 32.8 clinical hours per week compared to an average of 32.9 clinical hours per week in 2013.
DEMOGRAPHICS
In 2016, 80.7% of the Workforce was female and the average age of the total Workforce was 49. There was a minor increase in the average age between 2013 and 2016.
42.2% of the Workforce were aged 45-54 years. In comparison, in 2013 this same age group was 44.4%.
The proportion of the Workforce aged between 55-64 increased from 19.9% in 2013 to 25.1% in 2016.
From 2013 to 2016, the male proportion of the Workforce remained around 19% of the workforce.
TELE-HEALTH
A question was added in the 2016 workforce survey to determine the average hours per week practiced via tele-health in the previous year. Tele-health is the use of telecommunication techniques for the purpose of providing telemedicine and education, and health education over a distance.
19.2% (257) of the Workforce responded to the tele-health question. On average this workforce practiced via tele-health 7.5 hours per week.
JOB ROLE
1,256 (93.7%) worked predominantly in a clinician role in 2016. In comparison, 815 (93.4%) worked in a clinician role in 2013.
PRINCIPAL AREA OF PRACTICE
61.9% of the Workforce was employed in the five largest principal areas of practice. Emergency had the most employed with 303 (22.6%) which has increased from a headcount of 185 in 2013.
The Workforce working in policy and management reported the highest average total hours per week.
PRINCIPAL WORK SECTOR
In 2016, 857 of the Workforce worked in the public sector only and 332 worked only in private.
PRINCIPAL WORK SETTING
In 2016, 45.9% (615) of the Workforce worked in a hospital setting. The next most common work setting was in community health care services with 12.9% (173).
In 2013, 48.2% (421) of the Workforce worked in a hospital setting. In 2013 the next most common work setting was also in community health care services with 13.5% (118).
WORKING INTENTIONS
On average the Workforce has worked for 28 years and intends to stay in the workforce for another 13 years.
INITIAL QUALIFICATION
The workforce surveys ask the Workforce where they obtained their initial qualification. 78.4% (1,051) of Nurse Practitioners obtained their initial qualification(s) in Australia and 21.4% (287) obtained their initial qualification(s) overseas.
DISTRIBUTION
State and Territory
49% of the Workforce was located in QLD and NSW in 2016.
NT had the largest number of Nurse Practitioners per Estimated Residential Population (ERP) at 9.9 per 100,000. ACT had the second highest at 8.6 per 100,000.
Although NSW had the second highest headcount in 2016, it had the lowest number per ERP at 3.9 per 100,000.
In 2016, TAS had the highest average total hours worked per week at 43.6 and SA had the lowest at 37.4 hours per week.
In 2013, WA had the highest average total hours worked per week at 41.9 and VIC had the lowest at 39.4 hours per week.
When compared to 2013 the number of Nurse Practitioners per ERP in all States and Territories has increased, most noticeably in NT and SA.
Remoteness area
In 2016, 84.6% (1,134) of the Workforce worked in either Major Cities or Inner Regional locations. In comparison, in 2013 this distribution was 85.1% (743).
The average total hours worked across all remoteness areas (except Outer regional) has decreased when compared to 2013. In 2013, the average total hours worked per week by the Workforce in Major Cities was 39.4, in Remote areas was 47.8 and in Very Remote areas was 59.1.
When compared to 2013, the number of the Workforce per 100,000 ERP has increased across all remoteness areas, most noticeably in Very Remote areas with an increase of 10.1 Nurse Practitioners per 100,000.
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