Are nurses really leaving nursing in droves?

[Mqshell]

I keep hearing all over social media nurses are leaving nursing, as many as 25% in past year was a stat I read in article. If so many people are leaving where are they going, we still have to make a living and I’m just curious do you see nurses quitting all together where you work? I haven’t seen this but I keep reading  it, is it another false media story.  If so what are they doing for money. 

[ErinDel, ASN, BSN, RN]

45 minutes ago, Hannahbanana said:

You can start c these:  

https://www.forensicnurses.org/page/deathinvest

https://coronertalk.com/become-death-investigator

https://www.abmdi.org/faq 

Thank you for the info..

[nursel56]

On 7/12/2021 at 6:25 AM, Mqshell said:

I keep hearing all over social media nurses are leaving nursing, as many as 25% in past year was a stat I read in article. If so many people are leaving where are they going, we still have to make a living and I’m just curious do you see nurses quitting all together where you work? I haven’t seen this but I keep reading  it, is it another false media story.  If so what are they doing for money. 

Over the years I've seen the "leaving in droves" cycle repeat over and over.  It's never happened at any of my workplaces, but I don't think that means too much statistically because there is such a widespread variety in nurses, specialties, and the local economy where your facility is located.

Very often when the economy takes a hit, you'll see a corresponding story that retired nurses are returning in droves.  I can't say I've observed that personally either.

Sometimes you'll read articles or even read statistics from people who can profit financially by declaring anything highly specific about the nursing job market as a whole.  This includes degree programs that will die without new students, and professional nursing associations.  Sometimes you need to "consider the source" or sometimes do a little digging to identify the real source.

Having said all that, I know a number of people who were considering leaving anyway, and Covid tipped them over the edge.  Probably because the systemic problems with nursing became intolerable under the stress of  the pandemic.

[Emergent, RN]

I've cut down to 4 or 5 shifts a month. Many us older people are definitely either cutting back or retiring a little early. 

[Lunah, MSN, RN]

On 7/23/2021 at 4:58 PM, Hannahbanana said:

You can start c these:  

https://www.forensicnurses.org/page/deathinvest

https://coronertalk.com/become-death-investigator

https://www.abmdi.org/faq 

I miss forensic nursing, I was a SANE for five years but too much mandatory call time (I was active duty military) killed it for me. I was just looking at some programs last night because I have GI Bill money left. Still considering. ?

OP, I left the bedside completely for infection prevention/epidemiology in 2018 and left the hospital to work from home in 2019. At the time it had more to do with family needs, moving to a new state, and looking for a job I could take with me, but now I am sticking with this for the work/life balance and great pay. 

[albachiara]

Many nurses have left in my telemetry unit.  We are working short-staffed (RN and CNA); even when we have fully staffed, the organization is floating the nurses to other areas in the hospital. During the week, we have 2-3 RRT. I had 2 RRT called due to an episode of SVT and the other unresponsive/seizure. Another patient was almost called an RRT for a VT who had an ICD and was a DNR.  It is very overwhelming. Many nurses leave acute care for private practice, go into management, retire, or obtain their NP degree. Many younger nurses are not staying as bedside nurses, and I do not blame them.  After COVID, many hospitals were not hiring, and the process has been prolonged.  Nurses have been working short-staffed for almost two years since the pandemic started. After COVID, the staffing condition in acute care is worse.  Nurses are not allowed to say that we are working short-staffed; therefore, the call bells are not answered promptly, causing the nurses to receive abuse/nastiness/rudeness from patients and family members. Most call bells answered are for minor things such as ice, move the garbage closer to the bed, television not working, turn off the AC, crackers, ordering meals, and so on. I have been a nurse for 20 years, and I have lived, witness, and seen a lot, and it is getting worse. Attending doctors, residents, interns, and other healthcare disciplinary members are complaining that since the patient has access to the chart, it is worse patient and family members are uncontrollable and demanding.     

[Raven Sierra, BSN, RN]

In my area, it is definitely true. Anyone who can is leaving the bedside or taking a travel position.

[guest1143647]

Since  in my area hospitals and home health agencies that do visits only want BSN grads, its worse than ever.  Apparently, beggars CAN be choosy. 
In my area, home health and long term care facilities are suffering from more severe shortages than hospitals. 

[guest1135744, ADN]

We lost 1/2 of our staff for a variety of reasons and #1 was being told we could go ahead and go if an opportunity came up by administration so 1/2 of my unit went. We have been treated like trash for over a year and it’s been hard. I’m doing what I need to do to get out in the next few years. Also, the reasons why nurses are leaving is complicated. I’m in a FB group that is advocating for nurses and first off we need safe staffing laws. Here’s a post I made in a neighborhood app: 

Nationwide Nurse staffing law-we need your help! Please review this bill H.R.3165, introduced in Congress that will mandate how many patients a nurse will care for during their worked shift. Please be aware with 2020, some nurses have left bedside nursing with many more planning on leaving due to unsafe staffing and feeling overwhelmed by trying to adequately care for too many assigned patients. Review the bill here: https://bit.ly/3ykRtMX

Write your congressional member here to ask them to support H.R.3165: https://bit.ly/3lmG6ke

More info here: https://bit.ly/3flchfS

[iicy, BSN, RN]

Yes..they are. In my unit alone 10 nurses left this year, including myself. Many are not leaving nursing, just the fixed/fulltime hospital setting, to become travellers, practitioners, per diem workers, or case management.  We left because of poor leadership which negatively affects every facet of the work environment.

[Kitiger, RN]

In home care, we are SO short-staffed! One family I know had 5 nurses, 2 did nights, and 3 covered the day shifts. Three retired, two before and one during COVID. Another died, leaving one nurse for day shift, and one (new) nurse who does one night/week. It's been this way for over a year. They can't hire any more; no one is applying. 

Private duty tends to attract older nurses, and . . . we're nearing retirement!

[caramelwolf089, BSN, RN]

There is so much more to nursing that working in a hospital. I say this because many tend to work there. You have to prioritize your mental health and if that requires working in a less acute area or taking a pay cut that may be the best option. I think even more are leaving right now because they don't want to be forced to take the vaccine.

[subee, MSN, CRNA]

4 hours ago, caramelwolf089 said:

There is so much more to nursing that working in a hospital. I say this because many tend to work there. You have to prioritize your mental health and if that requires working in a less acute area or taking a pay cut that may be the best option. I think even more are leaving right now because they don't want to be forced to take the vaccine.

You can say that, but I don't see any proof that nurses are "leaving in droves" because of vaccine requirements.   Most nurses are vaccinated and I doubt that "droves' of them will leave when they will lose so much in salary and health care benefits.