Now is the time for lawmakers to come together to solve the nurse shortage crisis

Nurses play an essential role in our health care system, whether in hospitals, physician offices, nursing homes, schools or beyond. But today, alarm bells are ringing as our country faces one of the worst nurse shortages in history.

It’s estimated that the United States may have a gap of between 200,000 and 450,000 nurses available for direct patient care by 2025. More specifically, research suggests that the U.S. needs to double the number of new nurses entering the workforce yearly for three years to meet demand. Additionally, approximately 100,000 registered nurses left the workforce between 2020 and 2022 due to severe burnout, extreme stress, workplace violence and extended shift hours. These factors, a wave of retirements, and the more than 610,000 registered nurses who reported an intent to leave the workforce by 2027 has elevated the crisis. These startling statistics make clear the urgency with which we must address this shortage.

The Department of Health and Human Services’ $100 million investment in the nursing workforce is an important step forward, but more must be done. To ensure our health care system has enough nursing professionals to meet patient need, lawmakers must come together to urgently implement meaningful solutions to this mounting crisis. With a rapidly aging population and other global health emergencies potentially in our future, the time to act is now. 

To strengthen the pipeline, policymakers should advance solutions that:

1) ensure students are academically prepared for rigorous nursing programs,

2) expand the capacity of nursing schools by increasing faculty,

3) support schools to embrace new technologies that increase engagement and develop strong clinical judgment skills, and

4) invest in support programs for nursing students.

The record-high early academic gaps seen in recent primary and secondary students’ test scores are a warning sign that prospective nursing students need additional preparation and academic support. In an ATI Nursing Education survey, a lack of academic preparedness was the top reason cited for delaying or forgoing nursing school. We must invest in remediation so young learners have the core competencies to pursue nursing.

Additionally, we must invest in nursing faculty by providing competitive salaries and more classroom resources, as 9 percent of faculty positions remain vacant. Relatedly, we must invest in new technologies that adapt to students’ learning styles and teach them the clinical judgment skills they will use in daily practice. Moreover, nursing school is rigorous and challenging. We must ensure students have the academic, emotional and social support systems they need to succeed, such as remediation tools, mental health care, food pantries or other programs.

The 118th Congress began with momentum to address the nation’s nursing workforce shortages after a Senate HELP Committee hearing on the issue with both Democrats and Republicans vowing to examine these critical workforce concerns. The recent 14-7 committee vote successfully advanced the workforce legislation, though with unresolved differences on some provisions, the fate of that bill remains in question. Up to this point, there has been no sense of urgency or consensus around any legislation that would meaningfully bolster the pipeline and strengthen the nursing workforce. The longer we put off solutions, the worse the crisis will get. There are many ideas that deserve lawmakers’ serious attention including policies that would provide grants to qualifying nursing schools to increase faculty and nursing students such as the Future Advancement of Academic Nursing Act or the FAAN Act, ideas proposing funding to high schools and community colleges to bolster nursing programs, the Safety from Violence for Healthcare Employees Act to protect workplace safety, and the National Nursing Shortage Task Force Act of 2023 which would establish a task force to make recommendations to Congress and the administration on how to address the workforce shortage.

As a nurse for over 43 years, I am mindful of the vital role nurses themselves can play in solving this shortage. I personally know the knowledge, dedication, grit, and compassion it takes, but I also know how rewarding of a career it can be. I urge nurses working in the field to encourage young students and others around them to pursue a nursing career. And, to help bolster this effort, a wide range of government and health care stakeholders should invest in a national campaign to publicize nursing careers and the purpose and pride that comes from patient care to empower nurses to tell compelling stories to the next generation. Together, we can effectively get the word out that this is a profession that positively impacts lives and is an absolutely vital part of our country’s future.

This perfect storm isn’t brewing — it has already hit our shores, and no health care setting is immune to the impact of the nursing shortage crisis. Congress must work with stakeholders and industry leaders, come together to develop bipartisan legislation, and ultimately pass solutions that will build a strong foundation to recruit and retain more nurses. The health of our nation depends on it right now and in the decades to come.

Patty Knecht, PhD, RN, ANEF is vice president and Chief Nursing Officer for Ascend Learning Healthcare.