True or false: Nurses are the largest cadre of health care professionals in the global health workforce.

True or false: Nurses are the largest cadre of health care professionals in the global health workforce.

• A. True
• B. False
• C. Only in hospitals
• D. Only in high-income countries

Answer: (D)

Nurses are the largest single group of health professionals worldwide. This is why the statement is true on a global level: across countries and care settings, the nursing and midwifery workforce makes up the biggest share of health workers. Their large numbers come from the broad scope of practice, spanning direct patient care, care coordination, and community and primary health services, which creates a steady, extensive pipeline of trained nurses. The idea holds across income levels and is not limited to hospitals or to high-income countries; even in resource-limited settings, the nursing workforce remains the largest professional category in the health system.

Nurses are the largest single group of health professionals worldwide. This is why the statement is true on a global level: across countries and care settings, the nursing and midwifery workforce makes up the biggest share of health workers. Their large numbers come from the broad scope of practice, spanning direct patient care, care coordination, and community and primary health services, which creates a steady, extensive pipeline of trained nurses. The idea holds across income levels and is not limited to hospitals or to high-income countries; even in resource-limited settings, the nursing workforce remains the largest professional category in the health system.