Hospital staff turnover improved slightly in 2023 but remained a significant challenge for certain clinical roles, according to the American Hospital Association's 2025 Environmental Scan report released Dec. 3.
The report, citing data from NSI Nursing Solutions, reveals that the national hospital staff turnover rate fell from 22.7% in 2022 to 20.7% in 2023. This decline points to early signs of stabilization within the healthcare workforce, particularly for registered nurses, where the average vacancy rate declined from 15.7% in 2023 to 9.9% this year.
Despite this progress, certain roles still face retention challenges. Turnover for certified nursing assistants and patient care technicians exceeded the national average, highlighting the need for health systems to develop targeted strategies to retain these positions.
Five clinical and allied health roles with the highest turnover rates in 2023:
- Certified nursing assistants — 41.8%
- Patient care technicians — 36.3%
- Registered nurses — 18.4%
- Medical technologists — 15.9%
- Radiologic technologists — 15.2%