According to a survey published by the National Council of State Boards of Nursing on last week, a total 100,000 nurses left the workforce during the pandemic due to stress, burnout and retirement. By 2027, nearly 900,000 registered nurses are expected to leave the workforce — roughly a fifth of the current workforce.
“The study is considered to be the most comprehensive and only research in existence, uncovering the alarming data points which have far reaching implications for the health care system at large and for patient populations,” the council reported. “The research was gathered as part of a biennial nursing workforce study conducted by NCSBN and the National Forum of State Nursing Workforce Centers.”
The research suggested that nurses are facing unprecedented levels of work-related burnout due to the pandemic and that high levels of turnover within the field are suggesting that the nursing industry may face an even steeper decline in the future due to disruptions within prelicensure nursing programs.
