TOWSON, Md.: Healthcare organizations across the United States continue to face significant workforce pressure as demand for nurses and other healthcare professionals grows faster than many employers can recruit and retain qualified staff.
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics projects approximately 189,100 registered nurse openings each year from 2024 through 2034, driven by workforce growth, retirements, and nurses leaving the profession or moving into other occupations. Across the broader healthcare sector, roughly 1.9 million job openings are projected annually over the same period.
Federal projections also indicate the shortage will remain uneven across the country. The Health Resources and Services Administration projects a national shortfall of approximately 108,960 registered nurses and 245,950 licensed practical nurses by 2038. Rural and nonmetropolitan communities are expected to be hit hardest, with an estimated 11% registered nurse shortage in nonmetropolitan areas, compared with roughly 2% in metropolitan areas.
Burnout and retention remain major concerns
Recruitment alone will not resolve the staffing challenge. The National Council of State Boards of Nursing reported that more than 138,000 nurses left the workforce between 2022 and 2024, and nearly 40% of registered nurses surveyed said they intended to leave nursing or retire within the following five years.
The leading reasons cited include:
- Stress and burnout
- Heavy workloads
- Chronic understaffing
- Inadequate compensation
- Workplace violence
The findings underscore that healthcare employers must strengthen retention, workplace safety, scheduling flexibility, professional development, and employee support, in addition to recruiting new workers.
Internationally trained professionals can strengthen the workforce
With domestic pipelines constrained, internationally trained nurses and other healthcare professionals are playing an increasingly important role in helping facilities address persistent vacancies. These professionals often bring substantial clinical experience, multilingual capabilities, cultural knowledge, and a strong commitment to serving communities in need.
International recruitment, however, must be conducted responsibly, supported by rigorous processes for:
- Credential verification
- Professional licensing
- English-language proficiency
- Immigration compliance
- Clinical competency assessment
- Orientation and transition-to-practice support
- Cultural and workplace integration
International recruitment should complement, not replace, investment in domestic nursing education, retention, safe staffing, and improved working conditions.
Employers need a long-term workforce strategy
Healthcare facilities should avoid relying on a single recruitment method. A sustainable workforce plan may combine local and national recruitment, internationally educated professionals, travel and temporary coverage, direct-hire placement, nursing-school partnerships, return-to-practice programs, flexible scheduling, and leadership development and retention initiatives.
The objective is not simply to fill an open shift. Employers need dependable workforce pipelines that support continuity of care, regulatory compliance, employee wellbeing, and long-term organizational stability.
WorkPlus Solutions supports healthcare workforce development
WorkPlus Solutions now has a dedicated recruiter focused on sourcing American nurses for direct-hire opportunities with U.S. healthcare employers. This domestic recruitment capability is supported by US-based OPT/EAD, TN, E3, and international nursing pathways when employers need to broaden the search.
Healthcare facilities seeking qualified personnel and healthcare professionals exploring new opportunities can contact WorkPlus Solutions at (410) 921-9282, email info@workplussolutions.com, or submit an inquiry through workplussolutions.com.