Nearly half the nursing workforce might be gone in five years. Here’s how CNOs should prepare. Despite being one of the fastest growing industries for employment in the United States, the healthcare workforce has taken some serious hits, especially since the COVID-19 pandemic. In nursing, the stakes are particularly high, due to record levels of burnout, workplace violence, staffing shortages, and major gaps in education pipelines. In 2026, the country is projected to be short about 8% of registered nurses (RN), which is a gap of about 263,870 RNs. According to 2025 data, the national nurse faculty vacancy rate sits at 7.2%. The National Council of State Boards of Nursing (NCSBN) published their 2026 Environmental Scan report that details the current state of the workforce, education, technology, legislation, and public protection as they relate to nursing. CNOs must equip themselves with data to fully understand these challenge areas so they can strategically plan to address them at a systemic level, rather than applying temporary, short-term solutions. Retention crisis CNOs are already on high alert about the nursing shortage when it comes to recruitment, but the retention prospects in the industry are equally as concerning. The report shows that approximately 40% of all nurses plan to leave nursing or retire within the next five years. Out of these respondents, 19-22% are planning to retire while 18-23% plan to leave. googletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.display(“dfp-ad-hl_native1”); }); The report cites stress, burnout, and workload as the biggest reasons beyond retirement. However, there are positives in the…
