Project Description
By 2030, people aged 65 and older are projected to account for 20% percent of the US population. One solution to meet the demand for health care professionals with expertise in long-term care (LTC) may be to employ more nurse practitioners (NPs) and/or physician assistants (PAs) in LTC settings. To our knowledge, this was the first study to evaluate the national job market for PAs and NPs in LTC settings. Understanding LTC demand for PAs and NPs will help to guide HRSA’s investment in LTC education versus other high-demand fields. The study was conducted in partnership with Duke University.
Key Objectives
This project aims to answer these questions:
- What is LTC employer demand for PAs and NPs?
- What percentage of PA and NP job postings are in LTC relative to primary care and other specialties?
- Does employer demand for PAs and NPs in LTC vary by state, setting, and/or years of experience required?
- What percentages of LTC jobs are open to PAs only, NPs only, and both PAs and NPs?
Contact
For more information, contact [email protected].
Project Publications
- Himmerick, K. A., Miller, J. R., Toretsky, C. ., Jura, M. ., & Spetz, J. . (2017). Employer Demand for Physician Assistants and Nurse Practitioners to care for Older People and People with Disabilities. San Francisco, CA: UCSF Health Workforce Research Center on Long-Term Care. (Original work published 2017)Issue Brief:
employer-demand-pas-and-nps-brief.pdf