News: One third of nurses plan to leave direct patient care, survey finds

The number of nurses considering leaving direct patient care increased 10% (to a total of 32%) in less than 10 months, according to research by the McKinsley & Co. consulting firm, HealthLeaders reported.

Of the 32% likely to leave, only 29% said they would continue direct patient care.

Staffing shortages took the number one spot for top issues hospital CEOs faced in 2021, according to The American College of Healthcare Executives annual survey. According to the 2021 CDI Salary Survey by ACDIS, nearly half of respondents planned to hire in the coming months, mirroring the staffing shortages faced by hospitals.

The McKinsley & Co. study also found that nurses in their first 10 years of their career were more likely to say they planned to leave than those with 11 or more years of experience, HealthLeaders reported. Additionally, a safe environment was the top priority noted by those in the survey, followed closely by work-life balance and caring and trusting teammates.

Editor’s note: This article was originally published by HealthLeaders. The 2021 CDI Salary Survey can be found here.