HJBR Sep/Oct 2025

40 SEP / OCT 2025 I  HEALTHCARE JOURNAL OF BATON ROUGE NURSING COLUMN NURSING • In 2024, approximately 79% (6,252) of all APRNs licensed and residing in Louisiana indicated that they were CNPs, 19% (1,485) were CRNAs, 1% (88) were CNSs, and 1% (65) were CNMs. • Eighty-seven percent (7,190) of the licensed APRNs residing in Louisiana in 2024 reported a master’s degree as their highest degree in nursing, and 11% indicated that they held a doctor- ate in nursing, which represents a 9% increase when compared to 2023 and a 34% increase over the last five years. • Hospitals employed 35% (2,858) of the licensed APRNs residing in Lou- isiana, followed by 31% (2,509) who reported working in ambulatory care, 7% (562) in community health, and 3% (206) in schools of nursing. • Seventy-three percent (6,048) of the licensed APRNs residing in Louisi- ana in 2024 had prescriptive author- ity, which reflects a 6% increase from 2023. RNs Historically, most of the analysis pre- sented on the RN and APRN workforce in Louisiana has been based on those nurses who reside in Louisiana. Therefore, it is not anticipated that the Nurse Licensure Com- pact will have a significant impact on these numbers from year to year. In the current report, data are provided on the 63,828 RNs who reported Louisiana as their state THE 2024 Louisiana State Board of Nurs- ing (LSBN) Licensure Renewal season marked the 10th year of renewals using the National Council of State Boards of Nurs- ing (NCSBN) Optimal Regulatory Board System online licensure renewal system. This is the seventh year that LSBN will have licensure data on all licensed regis- tered nurses (RNs) and advanced prac- tice registered nurses (APRNs) available through our Optimal Regulatory Board System (ORBS). The LSBN IT Department, Center for Nursing, and the ORBS team have worked diligently over the last 10 years to ensure the quality and accuracy of the data that will be used by our stake- holders to inform policymakers related to Louisiana’s RN and APRN workforce. The 2024 Nurse Supply Report and ac- companying infographic is based on a snapshot of every RN and APRN who had an active license to practice in Louisiana on Dec. 31, 2024. This will be the fifth year that LCN will have the ability to continue the process of trending data since LSBN’s transition to ORBS. Major Findings: Registered Nurses in Louisiana (2024) • As of Dec. 31, 2024, 66,977 RNs held an active license to practice in Louisi- ana. Ninety-five percent of them lived in Louisiana and 5% resided outside the state. • In 2024, 38% (24,183) of licensed RNs residing in Louisiana were 50 years and older, with 18% (11,497) being 60 years and older. • Sixty-three percent (40,223) of all li- censed RNs residing in Louisiana in 2024 reported having a baccalaureate or higher degree in nursing. • There was a 37% increase in the num- ber of students enrolled and a 6% increase in the number of graduates from Louisiana’s RN to BSN pro- grams over the last year. • Seventy-five percent (49,401) of the licensed RNs residing in Louisiana re- ported working full-time, 7% (4,568) part-time, and 7% (4,328) per diem. • Hospitals employed 60% (33,612) of the RNs residing in Louisiana, which is in line with the 58% reported by the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) in the 2022 National Sample Survey of Registered Nurses. • In 2024, 15% (9,754) of the RNs work- ing and residing in Louisiana indicat- ed that they were planning to leave their current nursing position, which is a slight increase when compared to 2023 (9,665). Major Findings: Advanced Practice Reg- istered Nurses in Louisiana (2024) • Of the 66,977 RNs holding an active license to practice in Louisiana in 2024, 16% (10,384) also held an active APRN license. INSIDE THE NUMBERS: 2024 Louisiana Nurse Supply Report The latest licensure data highlight workforce strengths, challenges, and the changing face of Louisiana nursing. Sarah Luneau Public Information Director/Project Manager Louisiana State Board of Nursing – Center for Nursing