Statistics

2010 Health Manpower Survey on Registered Nurse

Key Findings

1. The registered nurses covered in the 2010 Health Manpower Survey (HMS) were nursing personnel registered in the register under the Nurses Registration Ordinance (Chapter 164) as at the survey reference date - 31.8.2010 and had to renew their practising certificates in 2010.

2. The number of registered nurses covered was 20 193.

3. Of the 20 193 registered nurses covered, 10 928 had responded to the survey, giving an overall response rate of 54.1%. Of the 10 928 responding registered nurses, 8 568 (78.4%) were economically active*† (active) while 2 360 (21.6%) reported to be economically inactive*‡ (inactive) in the local nursing / midwifery profession (See Chart) .

4. Of the 8 568 active registered nurses, 8 416 (98.2%) were practising in the local nursing / midwifery profession, 75 (0.9%) were seeking jobs in the local nursing / midwifery profession, 48 (0.6%) reported as having temporary sickness and 29 (0.3%) were expecting to return to their original jobs, waiting to take up new jobs, believing no work available or starting business at subsequent date in the local nursing / midwifery profession during the 30 days before the survey.

5. The survey findings presented below were based on the 8 416 responding registered nurses who were practising in the local nursing / midwifery profession as at 31.8.2010. As some questionnaires contained missing information, percentages presented below might not add up to 100%.

(i)

47 registered nurses did not indicate their sex. Of the remaining 8 369 active registered nurses enumerated, 851 (10.2%) were male and 7 518 (89.8%) were female, giving an overall sex ratio 11 (males per 100 females). 107 registered nurses did not indicate the age and the median age of the remaining 8 309 active registered nurses enumerated was 46.0 years.

(ii)

Distribution by sector of the main job§ showed that 5 439 (64.6%) were working in the Hospital Authority, followed by 1 360 (16.2%) in the private sector, 850 (10.1%) in the Government and 737 (8.8%) in the academic & subvented sectors.

(iii)

17.6% spent most of their working time on medicine, followed by 14.0% on surgery, 9.8% on administration / management, 7.9% on ambulatory / outpatients, 7.0% on public health, 6.0% on obstetrics, 5.9% on geriatric, 5.5% on paediatrics, 4.9% on mental health / psychiatric / addiction treatment and 3.9% on residential care.

(iv)

The median number of hours of work (excluding meal breaks) per week of the 8 416 active registered nurses enumerated was 44.0 hours. 1 036 (12.3%) registered nurses were required to undertake on-call duty (excluding normal duty), with a median number of 20.0 hours of on-call duty (excluding normal duty) per week.

* In the survey, the criteria used in defining economically active / inactive are followed those recommended by the International Labour Organization, which are also being used by the Census and Statistics Department in Hong Kong.

† “Economically active” registered nurses comprised all “employed” and “unemployed” registered nurses. “Employed” registered nurses referred to those registered nurses practising in the local nursing / midwifery profession in Hong Kong during the survey period, while “unemployed” registered nurses referred to those registered nurses who (a) were not practising in the local nursing / midwifery profession during the survey period; (b) had been available for work during the seven days before the survey and (c) had sought work in the nursing / midwifery profession during the 30 days before the survey.

‡ “Economically inactive” registered nurses comprised the responding registered nurses who were not practising in the nursing / midwifery profession in Hong Kong during the survey period, but excluding those who had been on leave during the survey period and those who were “economically active” but “unemployed”.

§ Main jobs referred to the jobs in which the registered nurses had spent most of their working time.

6. Among the 2 360 inactive registered nurses (See Chart) :

(i)

566 registered nurses reported practising overseas and 13 reported practising in the Mainland.

(ii)

1 768 registered nurses reported not practising in the nursing / midwifery profession in Hong Kong and not seeking job in the local nursing / midwifery profession during the 30 days before the survey. The reasons reported for not seeking job included: 735 (41.6%) were retired, 435 (24.6%) were engaged in household duties, 339 (19.2%) were working in other professions and 205 (11.6%) wanted to take rest / having no motive to work / having no financial need, etc.

Activity Status of Registered Nurse Covered

Text Version

Of the 20 193 registered nurses covered, 10 928 (54.1%) had responded to the survey, while the remaining 9 265 (45.9%) had not responded. Among the respondents, 8 568 (78.4%) were active in the local nursing / midwifery profession whereas 2 360 (21.6%) reported to be inactive in the local nursing / midwifery profession.

Among the 8 568 active registered nurses, 8 416 (98.2%) were practising in the local nursing / midwifery profession, 75 (0.9%) (a) were not practising in the nursing / midwifery profession in Hong Kong during the survey period; (b) had been available for work during the seven days before the survey; and (c) had sought work in the nursing / midwifery profession during the 30 days before the survey, 48 (0.6%) reported as having temporary sickness and 29 (0.3%) (a) were not practising in the nursing / midwifery profession in Hong Kong during the survey period; (b) had not been available for work during the seven days before the survey; and (c) were expecting to return to their original jobs, waiting to take up new jobs, believing no work available or starting business at subsequent date in the local nursing / midwifery profession during the 30 days before the survey.

Of the 2 360 inactive registered nurses, 566 (24.0%) reported practising overseas, 13 (0.6%) reported practising in the Mainland and 13 (0.6%) (a) were not practising in the nursing / midwifery profession in Hong Kong during the survey period; (b) had not been available for work during the seven days before the survey; and (c) had sought work in the nursing / midwifery profession during the 30 days before the survey.

Of the remaining 1 768 inactive registered nurses, 735 (41.6%) reported retired, 435 (24.6%) were engaged in household duties, 339 (19.2%) were working in other professions, 205 (11.6%) wanted to take rest / having no motive to work / having no financial need and the remaining 54(3.1%)* had other reasons for being inactive.

Note:

* Figure refers to the number of responding registered nurses who reported emigrated, undertaking study, etc.

Percentage may not add up to 100% due to rounding.

Notes﹕

Figure refers to the number of responding registered nurses who (a) were not practising in the nursing / midwifery profession in Hong Kong during the survey period; (b) had been available for work during the seven days before the survey; and (c) had sought work in the nursing / midwifery profession during the 30 days before the survey.

†

Figure refers to the number of responding registered nurses who (a) were not practising in the nursing / midwifery profession in Hong Kong during the survey period; (b) had not been available for work during the seven days before the survey; and (c) were expecting to return to their original jobs, waiting to take up new jobs, believing no work available or starting business at subsequent date in the local nursing / midwifery profession during the 30 days before the survey.

‡

Figure refers to the number of responding registered nurses who (a) were not practising in the nursing / midwifery profession in Hong Kong during the survey period; (b) had not been available for work during the seven days before the survey; and (c) had sought work in the nursing / midwifery profession during the 30 days before the survey.

Figures refers to the number of responding registered nurses who reported emigrated, undertaking study, etc.

Percentage may not add up to 100% due to rounding.

Department of Health
The Government of the Hong Kong
Special Administrative Region
31 May 2011

11 Jan 2013