Healthcare worker with head in hands

The U.S. healthcare system is poised to lose up to one-fifth (900,000) of its registered nurses by 2027, according to a report released Thursday by The National Council of State Boards of Nursing (NCSBN).

The study, which examined a subset of NCSBN’s 2022 National Nursing Workforce Study, found that 100,000 RNs left the industry during the COVID-19 pandemic. More than 610,000 said they planned to leave the workforce by 2027 due to burnout, stress and retirement, while another 189,000 nurses under the age of 40 reported similar intentions. 

NCSBN Chief Officer of Nursing Regulation Maryann Alexander, PhD, RN, FAAN, said a looming nursing shortage could put the nation’s healthcare system at an urgent crossroads and threaten the safety of patients.

“There is an urgent opportunity today for health care systems, policymakers, regulators and academic leaders to coalesce and enact solutions that will spur positive systemic evolution to address these challenges and maximize patient protection in care into the future,” Alexander said in a statement. 

The report also found that roughly half of nurses reported feeling emotionally drained, fatigued and burned out. More than two-thirds also said their workloads increased substantially during the pandemic. Researchers attributed those issues as the prime motivators for many nurses leaving their jobs during the pandemic or in the next few years. 

The NCSBN report conflicts with another study released at the end of March by Incredible Health. That poll of 3,000 RNs found that approximately 80% said they planned to stay on the job until retirement. More than half said they would recommend nursing to others as a career. 

Still, home health and hospice agencies cite the labor shortage as one of the most challenging headwinds they currently face. In February, Enhabit Home Health & Hospice CEO Barbara Jacobsmeyer told Wall Street analysts 70 of its hospice and home health locations didn’t have enough nurses. 

Provider groups have recommended Congress take steps to attract more nurses to healthcare by forgiving student nurse loans, waiving 60-day recertification requirements for nurses providing care under Medicaid and allowing nurse certification reciprocity across state lines.