Final answer:
The nurse executive can determine if the staff reflects national trends by comparing local nursing staff data to national statistics, particularly in terms of economic predictions and supply and demand trends.
Step-by-step explanation:
In assessing the statistics about the nursing staff to determine if they reflect national trends, the nurse executive should compare the data collected from the hospital's nurses with current national data on nurses. This may include factors such as the average number of years nurses have been in the profession, demographic makeup, and changes in demand and supply within the healthcare sector.
For instance, if national trends suggest an increase in demand for nurses leading to higher salaries, these local statistics should also exhibit similar patterns, such as higher salaries or a predicted increase in employment rates for nurses at the hospital compared to initial employment. Hence, if the local data aligns with such economic predictions and national standards, this would indicate that the staff's characteristics are consistent with national trends.