Workforce Data

The healthcare industry is the largest employer in Rhode Island with more than 70,000 employees. Data projections provided by the Rhode Island Department of Labor & Training (DLT), Labor Market Information Unit (LMI) indicate that healthcare employment will continue to grow and that employers will need to fill 13,000 job openings between 2004 and 2014. More than half (54%) of these projected job openings are attributed to the economic growth expected to occur during this period. In addition to the demand created by growth, it is estimated that the health care industry will need to find workers to fill nearly 12,000 vacancies resulting from attrition.

The healthcare industry has reported job growth every year since 2001. Its rate of employment has continued to outpace that of the private sector as a whole. Since 2001, a notable growth of 5,451 new jobs was experienced by the industry. The state reported a net gain of 9,937 private sector jobs during this same five year span. Rhode Island has many health care delivery settings that require an adequate supply of qualified and highly skilled healthcare workers. Within the healthcare sector, ambulatory health care, hospitals and nursing/ residential care facilities are all expected to grow at above average rates. Hospital employment currently accounts for the largest share of health-related jobs in Rhode Island (32%) followed by ambulatory healthcare services (29.5%) and nursing and residential care facilities (24.3%).

On-going health care industry effort to retain quality healthcare workers in Rhode Island is reflected in annual wage growth. In 2005, Rhode Island DLT, LMI data show that wages in the Health Care Industry exceeded $2.5 billion, more than any other industry in the state, including Finance & Insurance ($1.5 billion), Retail Trade ($1.3 billion) and Professional & Technical ($1.1 billion). The health care industry accounted for 17 percent of all private sector wages paid in the state in 2005.

Historically, the health care industry has fared well in attracting both voluntary and compensated staff. This success has been periodically interrupted by short-term shortages. Now, however, the health care industry is facing both immediate and long-term personnel shortages in many occupations. This can be attributed to several factors including an aging population, medical advances and new technologies. Without question, the healthcare industry is in need of qualified registered nurses. An estimated 800 vacancies existed for registered nurses between May and June 2006. These RN vacancies accounted for 7.3% of all estimated job openings statewide and nearly 23% of job vacancies within the healthcare industry. Approximately ninety-one percent (91%) of vacant healthcare positions require a college education and pay a median hourly wage of $24.00 per hour.

Rhode Island’s health care industry requires highly skilled and dedicated workers if it is to continue to provide the citizens of the state with quality healthcare. Efforts to insure a pool of highly skilled and dedicated workers must be based on an understanding of health care industry needs, both today and over the next several years. An understanding of the changing patterns of occupational growth and the requirements of work is perhaps one of the most important considerations for the decision-makers in government and education. Is Rhode Island keeping pace in its workforce development efforts to meet the changing occupational demand and skills requirements of healthcare employers?

Rhode Island schools of nursing data summary