Mirroring the broader economy, the strength of the nationalhealth care labor market remained mostly stagnant in the secondquarter of 2011, as measured by the Health Workplace SolutionsLabor Market Pulse Index.

The LMPI, a quarterly barometer of local market health care workforce fluctuations released Friday, posted a 3 percent declinefrom the first quarter. Near-term demand for health care workerswas strongest in the Phoenix, Seattle and Las Vegas markets duringthe second quarter; Atlanta, Cleveland and Minneapolis ranked atthe bottom of the 30 markets tracked.

The second quarter, which ended June 30, showed nine marketsshowing accelerated expansion. In the first quarter, 18 markets showed that growth.

“While last quarter brought some optimism, it is clear that thehealth care labor markets are not yet in full recovery,” says DavidCherner, managing partner of Health Workforce Solutions. “Thatsaid, given the wave of retirements expected in the near future,and the number of stalled expansion projects that seem to begetting renewed attention, we remain bullish on the outlook for therest of the year and into next year.”

The index tracks elements including temporary health work forceshortages and surpluses, facility and bed closures, announcedlayoffs and expansions and local economic trends.