As the nursing shortage looms, new expectations give way to new recruiting strategies.
KEY TAKEAWAYS
- The aging workforce, new generations, workplace violence, and burnout are all hurdles that CNOs must overcome to recruit the best talent possible.
- In 2025, attracting nurses of all types means having benefits such as flexible scheduling, opportunities for professional growth and development, and having up-to-date technologies that cut down administrative burdens.
In the face of a daunting workforce shortage, health systems are struggling to recruit and retain the best talent.
Nurse leaders everywhere are brainstorming innovative ways to attract new graduate nurses from a new generation with new expectations, and it isn’t always easy.
Right now in the United States, the Bureau of Labor Statistics expects the number of registered nurses to grow by 6% before 2033. According to the Health Resources and Service Administration workforce projections, between 2025 and 2037, the demand for registered nurses is going to continue to outpace the supply.
CNOs and other healthcare leaders must brainstorm ways to bridge that gap and to provide avenues for nurses to have safe, lifelong careers in their health systems.
The obstacles
Nurse leaders are facing many recruiting challenges.
As the workforce ages, more seasoned nurses are retiring, leaving a gap in both knowledge and skill in their wake. According to a 2023 study, there are around a million nurses over the age of 50, which means a third of the nursing workforce could retire within the next 10 to 15 years. Nurse faculty are also included, and the study states this can lead to issues with enrollment and graduation rates.
On the other hand, there are new generational demands from new graduate nurses who are entering the workforce for the first time. Gen Z values diversity, social justice, and work-life balance and prefers their job to align with their morals. Additionally, the cost of living is higher than ever now compared to wages, which impacts new graduate nurses’ ability to cover educational and living expenses.
Record workplace violence and burnout rates are also deterrents when it comes to people wanting to pursue nursing. According to a National Nurses United report that measured data from the entirety of 2023, eight in 10 nurses experienced at least one type of workplace violence, and 45.5% reported an increase in workplace violence on their unit. The American Nurses Association reports that 62% of nurses experience burnout, with 69% of nurses under 25 reporting burnout.
All of these issues are major cause for concern for CNOs and other nurse leaders everywhere. CNOs need to strategize and implement robust programs that prevent workplace violence and create both physically and psychologically safe environments for nurses.
What’s the solution?
In 2025, attracting nurses of all types means having benefits such as flexible scheduling, opportunities for professional growth and development, and having up-to-date technologies that cut down administrative burdens.
The next webinar in our Winning Edge series will explore ways to utilize technology, gain departmental buy-in, and streamline other resources to recruit the best nurses so health systems can put their best foot forward.
Our distinguished panel includes:
- Gail Vozzella, Chief Nurse Executive at Houston Methodist
- Jess Almeida, Chief Nursing Officer at Cedars Sinai Marina del Rey Hospital
- Larry Adams, Chief Nursing Executive and SVP of Strategy at CareRev
- G Hatfield, Event Moderator and HealthLeaders CNO Editor
This isn’t just another webinar—it’s your chance to learn from the best in the business and walk away with strategies you can implement immediately.
Join us as we face the problems, share solutions, and help you reboot your nurse recruitment strategy.
Register here today to reserve your spot.
This webinar is sponsored by CareRev.
G Hatfield is the CNO editor for HealthLeaders.
