1. Monopsony power and relative wages in the labor market for nurses.
- Author
-
Hirsch BT and Schumacher EJ
- Subjects
- Economic Competition, Employment trends, Hospitals supply & distribution, Models, Economic, Nursing Staff, Hospital statistics & numerical data, Power, Psychological, United States, Employment economics, Nursing Staff, Hospital economics, Nursing Staff, Hospital supply & distribution, Salaries and Fringe Benefits statistics & numerical data
- Abstract
This paper examines the thesis that monopsony power is an important determinant of wages in nursing labor markets. Using data from the 1985-93 Current Population Surveys, measures of relative nurse/non-nurse wage rates for 252 labor markets are constructed. Contrary to predictions from the monopsony model, no positive relationship exists between relative nursing wages and hospital density or market size. Nor is support found for the presence of monopsony power based on evidence on union wage premiums, slopes of experience profiles, or the mix of RN to total hospital employment.
- Published
- 1995
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