Trend in the number of nurses employed, per 1000, in a number of countries, 1990-2004 (source: OECD Health Data, 2006)
1990
1991
1992
1993
1994
1995
1996
1997
1998
1999
2000
2001
2002
2003
2004
Austria
7.2
7.5
7.9
8.0
8.4
8.6
8.7
8.8
8.9
9.0
9.2
9.2
9.3
9.4
9.3
Belgium
-
-
-
-
-
4.8
-
5.1
5.1
5.3
5.4
5.5
5.6
5.8
6.0
Czech Republic
7.2
7.2
7.3
7.3
7.3
7.4
7.4
7.4
7.3
7.4
7.6
7.8
8.0
8.0
8.1
Denmark
5.7
7.0
7.0
7.0
6.3
6.4
6.4
6.6
6.7
6.7
6.9
7.0
7.1
7.0
-
Finland
4.4
4.5
4.6
4.5
4.7
4.8
5.2
5.4
5.5
5.7
6.1
6.6
6.9
7.3
7.6
France
5.6
5.6
5.7
5.8
6.0
6.1
6.1
6.2
6.4
6.5
6.7
6.9
7.1
7.3
7.5
Germany
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
9.1
9.2
9.3
9.4
9.5
9.6
9.7
9.6
Greece
3.4
3.5
3.5
3.6
3.6
3.6
3.6
3.7
3.1
3.1
3.2
3.4
3.8
-
-
Hungary
7.7
-
7.7
8.1
8.1
8.0
8.0
7.9
8.1
7.9
8.0
8.3
8.5
8.6
8.6
Iceland
12.5
12.5
12.5
12.7
12.9
13.1
13.1
13.1
13.5
13.4
13.3
13.1
13.3
13.7
13.7
Ireland
11.3
12.1
12.4
13.1
11.5
11.9
12.4
12.9
13.1
13.6
14.0
14.8
15.3
14.8
15.0
Italy
-
-
-
5.0
5.2
5.2
5.2
5.3
5.3
5.2
5.2
5.4
5.4
5.4
-
Luxembourg
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
12.3
12.7
Netherlands
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
11.5
12.5
12.7
13.4
13.3
13.6
13.9
14.2
Norway
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
9.6
9.8
10.1
10.3
10.4
14.2
14.4
14.9
Poland
5.5
5.3
5.3
5.3
5.4
5.5
5.6
5.6
5.5
5.1
5.0
4.9
4.9
4.9
-
Portugal
2.8
2.9
3.0
3.1
3.3
3.4
3.5
3.7
3.7
3.7
3.7
3.8
4.0
4.2
4.4
Slovakia
-
-
-
-
7.0
6.5
6.0
5.9
7.4
7.2
7.4
7.3
6.9
6.5
6.3
Spain
-
-
-
-
-
5.7
6.3
6.3
6.1
6.5
6.4
6.6
7.2
7.5
7.4
Sweden
9.2
8.7
8.7
8.6
8.7
9.5
9.5
9.4
9.6
9.7
9.8
9.9
10.2
10.3
-
Switzerland
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
10.7
-
-
-
-
United Kingdom
7.9
7.9
8.1
8.1
8.1
7.7
7.7
7.6
8.0
8.3
8.4
8.5
8.9
9.1
9.2
Remarks
Total number of nurses employed refers to certified/registered nurses actively practicing in public and private hospitals, clinics and other health facilities, including self-employed. Fully-qualified nurses (with post-secondary education in nursing) and associate/practical/vocational nurses (with a lower level of nursing skills but also usually registered) should normally be included.
The following categories of workers should normally be excluded:
- Nursing aids/assistants and care workers who do not have any recognized qualification/certification in nursing. - Midwives (however registered nurses working part-time as midwives should be included). - Nurses working abroad, working in administrative, research and industry positions.
Note: The comparability of data on nurses is limited for a number of reasons. Some of the main variations in data coverage across countries are included in the table below with additional information.
Registration of nurses differs per country. For details see sources and methods of OECD Health Data.
Additional information
Includes non-practicing nurses also a
Includes retired professionals
Includes midwives
Includes self-employed
Includes non-practicing nurses also a
Includes retired professionals
Includes midwives
Includes self-employed
Austria
no
no
-
no
Italy
no
no
-
no
Belgium
-
-
yes
-
Luxembourg
no
no
no
yes
Czech Republic
no
no
yes
yes
Norway
no
no
-
yes
Denmark
no
no
no
no
Netherlands
yes
-
-
-
Finland
no
no
-
yes
Portugal b
-
no
-
no
France
yes
no
yes
yes
Poland
no
yes
-
-
Germany
no
no
no
yes
Spain
no
no
yes
yes
Greece
yes
no
-
-
Sweden c
no
no
-
yes
Hungary
no
no
yes
yes
Switzerland
-
-
-
-
Iceland
yes
no
yes
yes
United Kingdom
no
no
yes
no
Ireland
no
no
-
yes
a Non-practising means the person may work in administration, research, in another field or be unemployed.
b Until 1999, the figures refer to the number of nurses working in public and private health institutions (hospitals and health centres). Data is over estimated because nurses working both for public and private institutions are double counted.
c From 1990 the figures are estimations. To get ‘active nurses’, the number of certified nurses each year is multiplied by 72.7%, which in 1990 was the difference between the number of nurses counted in the population census and the number published in the register of certified nurses.The series on nurses are not consistent with the other health employment series (the information is coming from different registers).
Total number of nurses employed refers to certified/registered nurses actively practicing in public and private hospitals, clinics and other health facilities, including self-employed. Fully-qualified nurses (with post-secondary education in nursing) and associate/practical/vocational nurses (with a lower level of nursing skills but also usually registered) should normally be included.
The following categories of workers should normally be excluded:
- Nursing aids/assistants and care workers who do not have any recognized qualification/certification in nursing. - Midwives (however registered nurses working part-time as midwives should be included). - Nurses working abroad, working in administrative, research and industry positions.
Note: The comparability of data on nurses is limited for a number of reasons. Some of the main variations in data coverage across countries are included in the table below with additional information.
Registration of nurses differs per country. For details see sources and methods of OECD Health Data.
Table with additional information
Includes non-practicing nurses also a
Includes retired professionals
Includes midwives
Includes self-employed
Includes non-practicing nurses also a
Includes retired professionals
Includes midwives
Includes self-employed
Austria
no
no
-
no
Italy
no
no
-
no
Belgium
-
-
yes
-
Luxembourg
no
no
no
yes
Czech Republic
no
no
yes
yes
Norway
no
no
-
yes
Denmark
no
no
no
no
Netherlands
yes
-
-
-
Finland
no
no
-
yes
Portugal b
-
no
-
no
France
yes
no
yes
yes
Poland
no
yes
-
-
Germany
no
no
no
yes
Spain
no
no
yes
yes
Greece
yes
no
-
-
Sweden c
no
no
-
yes
Hungary
no
no
yes
yes
Switzerland
-
-
-
-
Iceland
yes
no
yes
yes
United Kingdom
no
no
yes
no
Ireland
no
no
-
yes
a Non-practising means the person may work in administration, research, in another field or be unemployed. b Until 1999, the figures refer to the number of nurses working in public and private health institutions (hospitals and health centres). Data is over estimated because nurses working both for public and private institutions are double counted. c From 1990 the figures are estimations. To get ‘active nurses’, the number of certified nurses each year is multiplied by 72.7%, which in 1990 was the difference between the number of nurses counted in the population census and the number published in the register of certified nurses.The series on nurses are not consistent with the other health employment series (the information is coming from different registers).
7 February 2008
Nurses employed
Remarks
Total number of nurses employed refers to certified/registered nurses actively practicing in public and private hospitals, clinics and other health facilities, including self-employed. Fully-qualified nurses (with post-secondary education in nursing) and associate/practical/vocational nurses (with a lower level of nursing skills but also usually registered) should normally be included.
The following categories of workers should normally be excluded:
- Nursing aids/assistants and care workers who do not have any recognized qualification/certification in nursing. - Midwives (however registered nurses working part-time as midwives should be included). - Nurses working abroad, working in administrative, research and industry positions.
Note: The comparability of data on nurses is limited for a number of reasons. Some of the main variations in data coverage across countries are included in the table below with additional information.
Registration of nurses differs per country. For details see sources and methods of OECD Health Data.
Additional information
Includes non-practicing nurses also a
Includes retired professionals
Includes midwives
Includes self-employed
Includes non-practicing nurses also a
Includes retired professionals
Includes midwives
Includes self-employed
Austria
no
no
-
no
Italy
no
no
-
no
Belgium
-
-
yes
-
Luxembourg
no
no
no
yes
Czech Republic
no
no
yes
yes
Norway
no
no
-
yes
Denmark
no
no
no
no
Netherlands
yes
-
-
-
Finland
no
no
-
yes
Portugal b
-
no
-
no
France
yes
no
yes
yes
Poland
no
yes
-
-
Germany
no
no
no
yes
Spain
no
no
yes
yes
Greece
yes
no
-
-
Sweden c
no
no
-
yes
Hungary
no
no
yes
yes
Switzerland
-
-
-
-
Iceland
yes
no
yes
yes
United Kingdom
no
no
yes
no
Ireland
no
no
-
yes
a) Non-practising means the person may work in administration, research, in another field or be unemployed.
b) Portugal; Until 1999, the figures refer to the number of nurses working in public and private health institutions (hospitals and health centres). Data is over estimated because nurses working both for public and private institutions are double counted.
c) Sweden: From 1990 the figures are estimations. To get 'active nurses', the number of certified nurses each year is multiplied by 72.7%, which in 1990 was the difference between the number of nurses counted in the population census and the number published in the register of certified nurses.
* The series on nurses are not consistent with the other health employment series (the information is coming from different registers).
Literature and data sources
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