Behind the Biggest Nurse Exodus in 40 Years

A 40-year record high of 100,000 nurses left their jobs in 2021, according to a study published in Health Affairs Forefront in April 2022. The study noted that the exiting nurses were primarily younger, rather than the expected age group of above 50. “A sustained reduction in the number of younger age [nurses] would raise ominous implications for the future workforce,” the study stated. A report by the American Association of Colleges of Nursing published in October 2022 blames the losses on general trends such as retirement, a lack of education and training for replacements, and the rapid growth of an aging population requiring health care services....