Nursing workforce has become an important issue in health planning . As well as being the largest group of health professionals, nurses are a very mobile group which is reflected in nursing turnover rates. In recent
years the nursing workforce has declined in relation to demand for services. This shortfall of nurses is further aggravated by introduction of the 38 hour week and transfer of basic nurse education from hospitals to the tertiary sector. Changes in demography and health care delivery also have a major impact upon future nursing service and education needs.
In 1982 the Northern Territory undertook a Nursing Manpower Study to provide a comprehensive profile of nurses registered or enrolled in the Territory in order to provide a data base for planning of future health
services and nursing education purposes. Since its introduction in 1982 the Nursing Manpower/Workforce Survey has been repeated each year. After three consecutive years of data collection, some emerging trends can be identified.