Nurse turnover and vacancy rates have declined since their pandemic-era peaks but remain elevated, according to data from the "2024 NSI National Health Care Retention & RN Staffing Report."
The report, released in April, includes survey findings from 400 hospitals in 36 states on registered nurse turnover, retention, vacancy rates, recruitment metrics and staffing strategies. Survey data covers more than 194,000 nurses and was collected in 2023. Learn more about the methodology here.
Below are the average rates of registered nurse turnover and vacancy in hospitals between 2019 and 2024, according to the report. The data suggests hospitals have made progress in reducing nurse turnover and vacancy rates since their peak during the pandemic. However, sustained efforts to stabilize the workforce, improve working conditions and address burnout are needed to fully recover.
Hospitals must also continuously monitor workforce trends, as the reasons for nurse attrition can evolve, the American Hospital Association said in a new Market Scan Trailblazers report.
"This requires organizations to adopt an omnichannel approach that continuously takes the pulse of all nurses on staff," the AHA said. Surveys, exit interviews, standing committees and regular staff feedback play a key role in understanding and addressing workforce needs.
|
Year |
Hospital staff nurse turnover rate |
Average hospital staff nurse vacancy rate |
|
2019 |
15.9% |
-- |
|
2020 |
18.7% |
9.0% |
|
2021 |
27.1% |
9.0% |
|
2022 |
22.5% |
17.0% |
|
2023 |
18.4% |
15.7% |
|
2024 |
-- |
9.9% |
Note: Data was not available for turnover rates in 2024 and vacancy rates in 2019.