‘Demoralised’ nurses being ‘driven out’ of profession, RCN survey finds

Four out of five respondents said staffing levels on their last shift were not enough to meet all the needs and dependency of their patients. Photograph: Jane Barlow/PA

Only a quarter of nursing shifts have the planned number of registered nurses on duty, a survey of more than 20,000 frontline staff has suggested.

According to the Royal College of Nursing (RCN), most nurses warn that staffing levels on their last shift were not sufficient to meet the needs of patients, and that some are now quitting their jobs.

The RCN said the findings shone a light on the impact of the UK’s nursing staff shortage, warning that nurses were being “driven out” of their profession.