The Current Pulse of the Nursing Workforce

By Rose O. Sherman, EdD, RN, NEA-BC, FAAN

The American Nurses Foundation has conducted a Pulse on the Nation’s Nurses COVID-19 Survey Series throughout the pandemic. The most recent COVID-19 Impact Assessment Survey with over 11,000 responses– ANA Pulse Survey June-July 2022 was just released. The findings are sobering but do provide some guidance about what RNs now seek in their work. Some key findings include the following:

55% of nurses report that their units are staffed with the appropriate number of RNs less than 1/2 of the time.
30% of nurses report that ancillary staff are seldom or never available to support nursing work.
30% of new graduates report that they do not feel well prepared to practice on their own.
59% of nurses report that they are asked daily or weekly to work more to cover additional shifts.
58% of nurses report that they seldom or never can take leave during the timeframes requested.
Only 42% of nurses feel that their work environments are healthy and positive.
The incidences of bullying, incivility, and violence are increasing, with most incidents coming from patients and their families.
49% of direct care nurses either intend to leave their positions or consider leaving.
31% of nurses selected the item “Genuinely listen to my voice and respond to my needs.” as one of the top three ways to improve work satisfaction.

In their summarization of the research, the ANA leadership noted:

“As we analyze the data, including other datasets from the Workplace Survey not included in this report, it is evident that the state of nursing today remains tenuous at best. The numbers show that bullying, incivility, and violence are widespread; the emotional health of nurses remains at unhealthy levels; and feelings of stress, frustration, and exhaustion are still elevated two years after the onset of the pandemic. The numbers also reveal that positive feelings, which lead to commitment and performance, have stagnated. Nurses report practicing in workplaces without the necessary number of RN staff with the right knowledge and skills, and almost half in the survey are planning to or considering leaving direct patient care.”

We are at a crisis point in nursing as we look at staffing shortages that seem almost intractable. The only way forward will be to build different models of care focused on a team delivery approach, as many health systems are beginning to do. How can we use talent outside of healthcare to work in healthcare on teams like exercise science and liberal arts graduates?

Many younger nurses do not see hospitals and direct care positions as employers of choice. I have spoken with executive leaders outside of nursing who don’t understand that only about 50% of our nurses currently work in hospitals and how many other career opportunities nurses have. Some have even suggested bringing diploma nursing back as a solution, but this idea is somewhat misguided and demonstrates a lack of understanding of how fundamentally different the current workforce is from the past. Diploma programs are something few Generation Z members would probably even consider for their future. They are interested in career ladders and not career limitations.

Interestingly, “Genuinely listen to my voice and respond to my needs.” is one of the nurse’s top three suggestions to improve satisfaction. This is where we need to start – our nurses are telling us what is happening today in their work environments is not sustainable moving forward. We must listen to them closely (without judgment) and ask for their ideas. Then be responsive not defensive to what you hear. Our future as a profession depends on it.

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