TENNESSEE
For more than 50 years, associate degree RNs have practiced nursing alongside their bachelor’s
program counterparts, sharing the same responsibilities and proving to be professionals valued
by health care providers and patients.
Nationwide, hospitals and other health care providers are collaborating with community colleges
to increase the numbers of associate degree RNs. 1 Following are some examples of health care
providers that are collaborating with community colleges to increase the numbers of associate
degree RNs available to care for the people of Tennessee:
Facts about Registered Nurses (RNs)
1

In Tennessee in 2005, 45.9% of new RNs were educated in associate degree programs.
Nationwide, 60.7% of new RNs were educated in associate degree programs. 2

Nationally, all RNs—with associate and bachelor’s degrees and diplomas—share the
same “scope of practice” or professional capabilities.

In Tennessee, the 2005 licensure exam pass rate for RNs with associate degrees was
92.4%, compared with a rate of 91.2% for their four-year nursing program counterparts.
Nationally, RNs with associate degrees pass the licensure exam to be credentialed as RNs
at essentially the same rate as do RNs with bachelor’s degrees. 3

Job placement rates average __% within six months of graduation for RNs graduating
with an associate degree in Tennessee. Nationally, job placement rates average 98%
within six months of graduation for RNs graduating with an associate degree in nursing. 4

RN job growth in Tennessee is projected to be 25% or approximately 13,360 jobs by
2014, totaling approximately 24,100 RN openings including replacement of nurses who
leave the field. Nationally, RN job growth is projected to be 29% or approximately
703,000 jobs by 2014, totaling approximately 1,203,000 RN openings including
replacement of nurses who leave the field. 5

Associate degree education for RNs is delivered more rapidly and cost-effectively in
Tennessee (at an average annual tuition in 2004–05 of $2,209 at public two-year colleges
compared with $4,258 at public four-year colleges). This is true nationally as well: the
average annual tuition at public two-year colleges was $1,847 compared with $5,038 at
public four-year colleges. 6
AACC
NCSBN. Portions copyright by the National Council of State Boards of Nursing, Inc. All rights reserved.
3
Ibid.
4
2003 AACC Nursing Survey
5
Department of Labor and State Employment Security Agencies
6
IPEDS Institutional Characteristics survey (2005 Digest of Education Statistics)
2
7

In 2004–05, associate degree RN programs in Tennessee turned away
students for
each student turned away from bachelor’s degree RN programs. Nationally, for the same
year, associate degree RN programs turned away 3.3 students for each student turned
away from bachelor’s degree RN programs. 7

Graduations from associate degree RN programs in Tennessee increased 11.0% between
2003–04 and 2004–05. Nationally, graduations from associate degree RN programs
increased 12.8% in that time period. 8

Associate degree RN programs are the entry point to the health professions for more
minority students nationally, though not in Tennessee. In 2004–05, associate degree RN
programs provided Tennessee with 124 new minority RNs compared with 146 provided
by bachelor’s degree RN programs. Associate degree RN programs provided America
with a total of 12,907 new minority RNs compared with 9,377 provided by bachelor’s
degree RN programs. 9

RNs with associate degrees or diplomas account for
% of nurse clinicians,
% of
clinical nurse specialists,
% of head nurses, and
% of supervisors in Tennessee.
Nationally, RNs with associate degrees or diplomas account for 42% of nurse clinicians,
29% of clinical nurse specialists, 47% of head nurses, and 62% of supervisors. 10

Nearly
(
% or
) of RNs providing care in Long-Term Care environments in
Tennessee practice with the associate degree. Nationally, nearly half (46.9% or 71,860)
of RNs providing care in Long-Term Care environments practice with the associate
degree. 11

RNs who earn associate degrees in Tennessee are more likely to remain and work in
Tennessee than are RNs who earn bachelor’s RN degrees there [Confirm that this is
true]. Nationally, 74.0% of associate degree RNs practice in the state in which they were
educated, compared with 60.9% of nurses with bachelor’s degrees or higher. 12

Advanced education is directly available to associate degree RNs. As of 2006, over 160
RN to MSN (Registered Nurse to Master’s of Science in Nursing) programs in 39 states
and the District of Columbia enrolled RNs with associate degrees without requiring
bachelor’s degrees, including 3 colleges and universities in Tennessee:
 Southern Adventist University
 University of Tennessee
 Vanderbilt University 13
National League for Nursing and AACC preliminary 2004 nursing survey data
IPEDS 2005 Completions survey
9
Ibid.
10
HRSA 2004 National Sample Survey of Registered Nurses
11
Ibid.
12
Ibid.
13
AACN and Discover Nursing.com (Johnson & Johnson)
8

There were nearly 56,000 licensed registered nurses (RNs) in Tennessee in 2000; over
49,600 were employed in nursing. There were 870.1 RNs per 100,000 population in 2000
in Tennessee, compared with the national rate of 780.2; Tennessee ranked 18th among
the states in registered nurses per capita. 14

Tennessee ranked 8th among the states in the number of Licensed Practical/Vocational
Nurses (LPNs) employed in 2000 with 21,530 workers. With 377.5 LPNs per 100,000
population, compared with the national rate of 240.8 per 100,000, Tennessee ranked 4th
in the per capita employment of LPNs. 15

Tennessee’s RN population dropped by
states had larger declines.16

Between 1996-2000, Tennessee issued
degree RNs.17

Tennessee was short of 12,455 RNs in 2005. By 2015, this number will be 27,110.18
percent between 1996-2000—only
percent of new RN licenses to associate
Community Colleges are Committed to Providing the Nation with the Quality RNs it Needs
 America’s community colleges have made a long-term commitment to high quality,
affordable nurse education and to the delivery of safe health care to the American public.
 Community colleges are urging Congress to provide funding for an unbiased study of RN
education.
14
HRSA State Health Workforce Profiles
Ibid
16
HRSA state profile or National Sample survey or State board of nursing or state survey
17
probably HRSA or NCSBN or SBON or state survey
18
HRSA Projected Supply, Demand, and Shortages of Registered Nurses: 2000-2020
15