MA Ranked Among Worst States in U.S. for Nurses

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Thursday, May 04, 2017

GoLocalWorcester News Team

Massachusetts is one of the worst states in the country for nurses. 

According to a recent study completed by WalletHub, Massachusetts ranks as the 11th worst state in the U.S. for nurses, ranking 41st out of 51 states and the District of Columbia. 

“Like most segments of the economy, the nursing industry is in a state of significant transition under the weight of major socioeconomic dynamics — from the aging U.S. population to the student-loan crisis to concerns about the future of key entitlement programs. But such concerns are not unique among recent graduates, regardless of industry,” said WalletHub. 

Massachusetts ranks 48th for opportunity and competition while ranking 14th for work environment. 

According to WalletHub, Massachusetts also has the third most nursing job openings per capita. 

The Rankings 

Massachusetts ranks behind Pennsylvania and Mississippi who rank 39th and 40th. Massachusetts ranks ahead of Nevada and Georgia, who rank 42nd and 43rd respectively. 

Wisconsin is ranked as the best state in the U.S. for nurses, while the District of Columbia is ranked as the worst state in the U.S. for nurses. 

See the full rankings in the map below 

The Method 

In order to determine the best and worst states for nurses, WalletHub’s analysts compared the 50 states and the District of Columbia across two key dimensions, namely “Opportunity & Competition” and “Work Environment.”

They evaluated those dimensions using 18 relevant metrics. Each metric was graded on a 100-point scale, with a score of 100 representing the most favorable conditions for nurses.

They then calculated the total score for each state and the District based on its weighted average across all metrics and used the resulting scores to construct our final ranking.

Opportunity & Competition – Total Points: 70

• Monthly Average Starting Salary for Nurses: Full Weight (~6.67 Points)
• Average Annual Salary for Nurses: Double Weight (~13.35 Points)
• Health-Care Facilities per Capita: Full Weight (~6.67 Points)
• Share of Population Living in a Primary-Care HPSA: Full Weight (~6.67 Points)
• Projected Share of Elderly Population in 2030: Full Weight (~6.67 Points)
• Educational Opportunities Based on Quality of Nursing Schools: Half Weight (~3.33 Points)
• Share of Licensed Nursing Professionals Not Working in Nursing Field: Full Weight (~6.67 Points)
• Nursing-Job Openings per Capita: Full Weight (~6.67 Points)
• Nurses per 1,000 Residents: Full Weight (~6.67 Points)
• Projected Competition in 2024: Full Weight (~6.67 Points)

 

Work Environment – Total Points: 30

• Mandatory Overtime Restrictions: Full Weight (~4.29 Points)
• Ratio of Nurses to Hospital Beds: Full Weight (~4.29 Points)
• Presence of Nursing Licensure Compact Law: Full Weight (~4.29 Points)
• Share of Best Nursing Homes: Full Weight (~4.29 Points)
• Quality of Public Hospital System: Full Weight (~4.29 Points)
• Friendliness Toward Working Moms: Full Weight (~4.29 Points)
• Average Number of Work Hours: Half Weight (~2.14 Points)
• Average Commute Time: Half Weight (~2.14 Points)

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Central Mass Hospitals’ Grades for Safety

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