(The Center Square) – While Minnesota nurses are reporting burnout, the state provides the second-best work environment for the profession, according to a WalletHub report released Tuesday.
WalletHub released the report just a few days before the beginning of National Nurses Week to help new nursing graduates find the best markets for their profession, the report said.
Minnesota has the highest ratio of nurses to hospital beds, 4.99 – twice as many as Wyoming has (2.44). WalletHub reported this week that Minnesota is the fourth-best state for working moms.
The report’s other work environment metrics were percentage of residents 12+ who are fully vaccinated; mandatory overtime restrictions; nurses job growth (2020 vs 2016); presence of nursing licensure compact law: regulatory requirement for nurse practitioners; share of best nursing homes; average number of work hours; and average commute time.
However, the state placed 21st for opportunity and competition, despite having the second-highest annual nursing salary, adjusted for cost of living, solely falling behind Michigan. It also has the third highest number of health care facilities per capita. Iowa and South Dakota have more.
Other opportunity and competition measures were monthly average starting salary, adjusted for cost of living; population living in primary care HPSAs; projected share of elderly population in 2030; quality of nursing schools; tuition cost per credit for online bachelor of science in nursing programs; nursing job openings per capita; nurses per 1,000 residents; and projected competition in 2028.
Minnesota has the 37th highest monthly average starting salary for nurses ($2,353), the 39th lowest share of a population living in a primary care HPSA, the 35th projected share of elderly population in 2030 (18.92%), the 32nd highest nursing job openings per capita (313.01), and the fourth lowest number of nurses per 1,000 residents (16.18).
It has the 39th lowest projected competition in 2028, when there’s projected to be 15.85 nurses per 1,000 residents. Michigan, which placed 18th in this metric while performing poorly in its overall ranking, is expected to have 11.73 nurses per 1,000 residents.
Minnesota’s ranking benefited, however, from a relatively low cost of tuition per credit for BSN online program ($239, 7th).
Among all states, Minnesota has the largest share of long-term care facilities that report staffing shortages, Seniorly reports. Through Feb. 27, the shortages were 56.8% among nursing jobs.
Washington, Maine and New Mexico bested Minnesota, placing first, second and third, respectively. Oklahoma, Alabama, and Hawaii were the worst states for nurses.
Minnesota Nurses Association gathered at the Capitol Tuesday to support the Keeping Nurses at the Beside Act, part of the Health and Human Services omnibus bill.
