Survey Shows Nearly 30% of Nurses Ready to Leave Profession

Nearly one-third of nurses nationwide say they are likely to leave the profession for another career according to a new survey from AMN Healthcare.

This level is up at least seven points since 2021. And the survey found that the growing shortage of nurses is likely to continue for years to come.

"This really underscores the continued mental health and well-being challenges the nursing workforce experiences post-pandemic," said AMN Healthcare CEO Cary Grace according to Reuters.

Of the 18,000 nurses surveyed, about 94% of the nurses who responded to the survey stated that there was a severe or moderate shortage of nurses in their area, with 36% of the nurses planning to continue working in the sector but may change workplaces.

"It's a critical moment in our time for nurses. The country needs nurses. We are very short and we are feeling very worried about the future of their work," said Jane Hopkins, President of SEIU Healthcare, according to KPBS.

"The staffing crisis didn't just happen. It's been around for years. Unions have been sounding the alarm that organizations were putting profits before patients," Hopkins said. Employers "had cut staffing so bad, that there was no room for flexibility."

Among the survey’s findings:

• Only 15% of hospital nurses say they will continue in the same job in one year.
• Four of five nurses experience a great deal or a lot of stress, up 16 points since 2021.
• More nurses worry that their job is affecting their health, up 19 points from 2021.
• Nurses who said they often feel emotionally drained were up 15 points from 2021.
• Career satisfaction dropped to 71% in 2023 after holding steady at 80-85% for a decade.

Additionally, 69% of nurses surveyed are seeking increased salaries and 63% of them are seeking a safer working environment to reduce stress.

National Nurses United has lobbied Congress to pass legislation to address staffing ratios and improve workplace safety provisions.