New survey of nurses shows more than a third 'very likely' to change jobs in 2024

A new national survey of nurses shows more than a third of them think 2024 is worse for their profession than last year.

Burnout continues to have its impact on what a Gallup poll says is the most trusted profession, and that trickles down to patients.

A new report from AMN Healthcare shows 80% of nurses surveyed say 2024 will be the same or worse for them compared to last year. AMN is one of the largest health care staffing companies.

More than half of nurses say it's likely they'll change jobs this year. Specifically, over one-third of nurses surveyed (35%) said it is “very likely” they will change jobs in 2024, while the majority (55%) said it is “very likely” or “somewhat likely” they will do so.

A smaller number (32%) said it is “somewhat unlikely” or “very unlikely” they will change jobs this year, the report says.

“Really we see it as a health care crisis, if these nurses continue to turn over and the volatility in the nurse and nursing profession continues,” Robin Johnson, group president of Nursing Solutions at AMN Healthcare told Scripps News.

Nurses say better pay, improved nurse-to-patient ratios, and better hours are the most important changes they want to see.

75% of Americans feel health care system handles mental health worse than physical, poll finds

“They are being asked to do more all the time. The conditions that they work in, the workload that they have. The nurse-to-patient ratio. So, you know, that does affect patient care,” Johnson said.

National Nurses United, representing about 225,000 nurses, is fighting for improved nurse-to-patient ratios.

Studies show the more patients a nurse must care for on shift, the more patients are unhappy. It also increases the odds for medical errors, bloodstream infections and pneumonia.

Nancy Hagans, has been a nurse for 37 years at the same hospital, Maimonides Medical Center in Brooklyn, New York. She is also the president for National Nurses United and the New York State Nurses Association.

"When you have less nurses to care for the patients ... you end up staying in a hospital longer. If you had surgery, you're not out of bed to walk around. Patients end up with pneumonia,” she said.

Research also shows low staffing increases mortality. In one study of 48,000 patients, low staffing increased the odds of dying by 10%.