Nurses top employment levels in U.S. hospitals — gov’t data
WASHINGTON, UNITED STATES — Data from the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics reveal the employment levels for 38 roles in healthcare institutions across the U.S.
The data was released on April 3 and is reflecting information from May 2023.
Registered nurses top the list with 3.1 million
- Registered nurses: 3,175,390
- Nursing assistants: 1,351,760
- Security guards: 1,202,940
- Maids and housekeeping cleaners: 836,230
- Medical and health services managers: 515,100
- Pharmacy technicians: 460,280
- Cooks: 435,640
- Clinical laboratory technologists and technicians: 334,380
- Pharmacists: 331,700
- Nurse practitioners: 280,140
- Public relations specialists: 275,550
- Physical therapists: 240,820
- Radiologic technologists and technicians: 221,170
- Medical records specialists: 185,690
- Healthcare social workers: 185,020
- Emergency medical technicians: 167,040
- Physician assistants: 145,740
- Phlebotomists: 137,080
- Family medicine physicians: 112,010
- Surgical technologists: 110,320
- Paramedics: 98,770
- Dietitians and nutritionists: 73,860
- General internal medicine physicians: 67,210
- Orderlies: 48,710
- Nurse anesthetists: 47,810
- Emergency medicine physicians: 35,100
- Pediatricians, general: 34,870
- Health information technologists and medical registrars: 34,430
- Anesthesiologists: 33,470
- Radiologists: 31,960
- Psychiatrists: 24,830
- OB-GYNs: 19,820
- Nuclear medicine technologists: 16,560
- Cardiologists: 15,190
- Orthopedic surgeons, except pediatric: 14,820
- Dermatologists: 12,040
- Physicians, pathologists: 11,020
- Neurologists: 9,350
America’s aging population driving healthcare demand
America’s aging population has created a strain on its healthcare system. By 2034, the U.S. Census Bureau predicts that there will be 77 million Americans aged 65 and older.
An older population demands a bigger healthcare workforce, but with a predicted 75.6 million Americans under 18 years old within the same timeframe, this may be too high a ratio for the U.S. to maintain.
Healthcare outsourcing to fill workforce gaps
In response to this dilemma, healthcare institutions have turned to outsourcing to fill in the gaps. Some have employed staff to take care of administrative tasks, while others have employed virtual nurses to aid in bedside care.
