Abstract: Objective: To investigate the current situation of the nursing discipline and human resources, and analyze the important factors affecting its development. Methods: Data were searched in the following electronic databases,including official websites of higher education statistics both in China and abroad, World Health Organization (WHO),International Council of Nurses (ICN), the World Bank, and National Health and Family Planning Commission of the People's Republic of China. Data analysis was conducted by using Microsoft Excel software. Results: a) The classification of nursing discipline in China was about 30 years later than in America. The secondary professional settings in China were unclear; b) Nurses younger than 35 years old accounted for 57.2% of all nurses. Nurses with work experiences of more than or equal to 20 years accounted for 29.5%. Nurses with associate or higher degrees accounted for 56%. Nurses with bachelor or higher degrees only accounted for 10.6%. The ratio of nurses with high professional titles to those with low titles was 1 to 36.1; c) By 2013, the doctor-to-nurse ratio was 1 to 1.11. Legal retirement age of nurses was much younger than those in developed countries. The average starting salaries of doctors were 2.22 times of those of clinical nurses; d) By 2014,the number of registered nurses was 3.004 million, which was more than those of doctors for the first time in the history.Conclusion: Nursing education and management systems need to be extensively reformed. We should learn from the developed countries, fully understand the importance of those talent nurses in the construction of the nursing discipline,exploring the implementation of clinical nurse multi-spot practice, stabilizing the shortage situation of nursing human resources, so that to meet the growing needs of the society.