Abstract
In Japan, we have many kinds of educational facilities in nursing. Unfortunately, however, we do not have any dynamic statistics about nurses. This study was conducted to make clear how nurses work as a nurse. This paper will focus on trends of educational background of nurses. Education and career records of all nurses in Nagano Prefecture were surveyed. 10,021 out of 18,042 questionnaire were collected, and its response rate was 56%. 9,477 responses, which were filled with full history of education, were used for the purpose of this study. 7,548 respondents were RN, and 1,929 were LPN. There are several ways to get RN and LPN in Japan. We can obtain LPN through 2-year course after graduating from junior high school. 9.5 percent of all respondents were junior high basis nurses. Using logistic regression model, it was found that the distribution of educational background varied in terms of their age. For instance, there were scarcely junior-high-basis nurses in younger generation. However over age of fifty, more than 20% of nurses were junior-high-basis. From such point of view, if we have data about educational history of nurses, we are able to not only make clear the discrepancy among age groups, but also plan effective continuing education and educational strategy.
