The Returns to Nursing: Evidence from a Parental-Leave Program

Abstract In this article, we quantify the effects of nurses on health care delivery and patient in context an unintended policy-induced nurse shortage. Our empirical strategy takes advantage a parental-leave program Denmark, which offered any parent opportunity to take up one year’s absence per child aged 0–8. Combining policy variation with administrative employer–employee match data, document substantial take-up among nurses, who could not be replaced net despite public education immigration expansion efforts mitigate employment effects. We find that parental leave reduced hospital nursing home by 15% 10%, respectively. Using detailed records, detrimental hospital-care as indicated large increase 30-day readmission rates acute myocardial infarction patients. no evidence for mortality. homes, estimate