Chief nursing officers say they would love the opportunity to look beyond staffing to other initiatives in the second half of 2023. Unfortunately, despite innovative strategies to retain, attract — and, perhaps most important financially speaking, reduce reliance on contract staff — efforts to stabilize nurse staffing levels remain priorities 1, 2 and 3.

Hospitals throughout the country may be launching a wide variety of initiatives to attract and retain nurses and build future pipelines, but creating standards for safe staffing — including minimum nurse-to-patient ratios — is the top priority when it comes to shoring up healthcare facility nursing departments, according to a July 13 American Nurses Association news release.

Many nurses struggle with imposter syndrome, but systems and academic institutions can help alleviate it, Kimberly Pate, DNP, RN, director of policy and professional development at Atrium Health's Carolinas Medical Center in Charlotte, N.C., wrote in a blog post on the American Association for Critical-Care Nurses website.

Staffing issues and retention emerged as the top trends for nursing in the first half of 2023.

The executive director of nursing at Mission Viejo, Calif.-based Providence Mission Hospital was flown to Craig Hospital in Englewood, Colo., for rehabilitation, just over a month after surviving "devastating and tenuous" injuries in an accident in Costa Rica, according to a July 6 Orange County Register news report. 

Birmingham-based University of Alabama received a $3.5 million grant to help diversify nurse educators, al.com reported July 3. 

Indiana is the highest-paying state for nurses in executive management roles, according to a June 29 report from the Medical Group Management Association. 

The average compensation for licensed practical nurses increased more between 2021 and 2022 than other clinical and nursing positions, according to an 2023 MGMA report released June 29. LPNs got paid the most in four states and Washington, D.C.

All nursing positions saw an average increase of 8.5 percent in median total compensation from 2021 to 2022, according to the latest MGMA report.

Nashville, Tenn.-based Vanderbilt University Medical Center appointed Sarrah Spohnholtz, MSN, RN, inaugural director of nurse safety and wellbeing.

Medical Group Management Association found Washington, D.C., was the highest paying area for registered nurses, while New Jersey was the lowest.

Ten hospitals have received Magnet designation for the first time this year, the American Nurses Credentialing Center told Becker's.

Three New Hampshire hospitals are offering a new externship program to nursing students.

With 94 percent of hospitals of health executives reporting their shortage of nurses as "critical," the industry is plugging hundreds of millions of dollars into reversing the trend.

There are about 3.1 million registered nurses, 258,230 nurse practitioners, 1.3 million nursing assistants, 46,540 nurse anesthetists, 7,950 nurse midwives and 632,020 licensed practical and vocational nurses working in the U.S., according to the most recent data shared by the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

An analysis of 35 professions on TikTok found nurses were the third-most popular profession represented, registerednursing.org reported June 6.

Five months after the Justice Department charged 25 people for allegedly selling thousands of fake nursing degrees, nurses with annulled licenses because of the scheme told The Philadelphia Inquirer they were scammed. 

A Tennessee woman is accused of telling two emergency room patients she was a nurse and they were being discharged from the hospital, ABC affiliate WTVC reported June 27.

Nurse retention and happiness are top of mind for many leaders among an increase in strikes and nurses leaving the profession.

A national pause on nurse green cards has left thousands of international healthcare workers in limbo, with hospitals working diligently to stay connected with their prospective employees, NPR affiliate KCUR reported June 27.