🔒CHIA: Southern Worcester County among state’s strongest nursing workforces

Southern Worcester County has one of the most robust nursing workforces in Massachusetts, as a newly released report shows the region has some of the largest shares of licensed practical nurses and registered nurses. A total of 17.06% of the Bay State’s LPNs work in Southern Worcester County, totalling 1,312 workers, according to an inaugural report released Thursday by Center for Health Information and Analysis, a Boston-based independent state agency analyzing health care in the state. The agency used results from 2024 registered nurse license renew surveys and 2023 LPN license renew surveys. CHIA’s analysis divided the state into 16 distinct workforce development areas, including one encompassing southern Worcester County, from northern Oakham to southern Millville, CHIA wrote in an email to WBJ. This area houses some of Central Massachusetts’ largest hospitals, including the Memorial and University campuses of UMass Memorial Medical Center and Saint Vincent Hospital, all in Worcester. LPN positions have the highest vacancy rate – 16% – of the five care occupations CHIA analyzed: LPNs, registered nurses, physicians, direct care workers, and social workers. That figure grew to 26% for LPNs in private operator human services and 18% in both acute care hospitals and home health. LPNs differ from registered nurses as the role only requires the completion of a one-year certificate versus the minimum associates degree required of an RN. LPNs work under RNs, performing tasks such as taking vitals, monitoring patients, and bathing. For RNs, Southern Worcester County has the third-largest percentage of those actively in the profession in Massachusetts. At 8.46%, the region has 7,751 active RNs, behind the Metro South/West workforce development area with 14.68% and Boston’s workforce area, which has more than a quarter of the state’s RNs at 26.23%. Southern Worcester County active registered nurses were the third-highest paid in the state. The average annual wage for an experienced RN is $123,405, a figure $663 fewer than Greater Lowell’s average of $124,068, but nearly $20,000 less than Boston’s average of $142,357. Vacancy rates among RNs was lower than LPNs, with a statewide average of 9.2%. Empty RN roles were most extremely felt in nursing homes, where the vacancy rate was 25.9%. At 2.6%, vacancy rates were lowest in primary care settings. “Access to quality health care depends on having enough providers available in the right settings, ensuring residents get the appropriate care,” Andrew Jackmauh, CHIA acting executive director, said in a Thursday press release. “By providing ongoing monitoring and analysis of workforce trends in the commonwealth, CHIA’s MHCW survey helps policymakers identify opportunities likely to have the biggest impact.” Mica Kanner-Mascolo is a staff writer at Worcester Business Journal, who primarily covers the healthcare, manufacturing, and higher education industries.