At Incredible Health, we are dedicated to our mission: helping healthcare professionals live their best lives and find and do their best work. To achieve this, it’s fundamental for us to deeply understand the challenges faced by both nurses and healthcare leaders. While we’ve highlighted the pressing concerns of 1 million nurses nationwide, we believe it’s important to consider the perspectives of healthcare executives to gain a comprehensive understanding of workforce challenges in healthcare.
Today, we are excited to reveal the findings from our 2024 Healthcare Executive Report. Our latest report offers a comprehensive view of the concerns in healthcare from the perspective of over 100 US healthcare executives and proprietary data from over 1500 US hospitals.
The report paints a concerning picture: 90% of healthcare executives surveyed predict that the nurse shortage will worsen in the coming years. With the U.S. projected to be one million nurses short by 2030, this is an unsettling reality. However, there is a silver lining. This year’s report outlines a promising path forward, offering opportunities for positive change and support for nurses nationwide.
Understanding the Landscape
The pressure on nurses is undeniable and is exacerbated by the difficulty in hiring and retaining nurses. Only 32% of healthcare executives are satisfied with the current patient-to-staff ratios, and a staggering 78% do not feel adequately prepared for a large-scale health crisis.
Additionally, healthcare executives report that:
- Medical surgical, OR / perioperative, critical care, and emergency nurse specialties are the hardest to hire, further complicating staffing challenges. On the Incredible Health marketplace used by 1 million US nurses and 1500 US hospitals, we’ve seen the largest increase in demand for medical surgical roles, as in the last 2 years new graduate nurses are hired directly into specialized units, resulting in understaffed medical surgical units.
- Inadequate staffing (43%) and not having enough nurses entering the field (37%) are tied as the biggest concerns for the healthcare industry.
Addressing Burnout and Workplace Violence
Burnout and workplace violence are significant contributors to the current nurse shortage. According to our 2024 State of US Nursing Report, 46% of nurses cite burnout as their primary reason for leaving their roles, and 26% are likely to leave due to workplace violence. These statistics are alarming, but they also highlight key areas where healthcare systems can intervene and improve.
Healthcare executives are increasingly aware of these issues. 66% say that they have seen an increase in verbal and/or physical assaults on nurses by patients or a member of the patient’s family within the past year, and are working to implement measures to intervene and improve nurse experiences. From establishing zero-tolerance policies for workplace violence to investing in security systems that allow nurses to alert when they are in danger, steps are being taken to ensure a safer and more supportive working environment. For burnout, the top strategies leaders are implementing for retention are:
- Increasing salaries for nurses (36%)
- Offering career advancement opportunities (20%)
- Retention incentives (11%)
Pathways to Improvement
One of the most promising aspects of this year’s report is the alignment between what nurses want and what healthcare executives are willing to offer. For example, salary increases have been identified as one of the most effective methods for attracting and retaining nurses. More than 40% of healthcare executives reported raising nurse salaries in the past year, directly addressing the concern of 64% of nurses who feel they are not fairly compensated.
Technological advancements, particularly in artificial intelligence (AI), also offer benefits. Over half (54%) of healthcare executives are exploring AI technologies to reduce the administrative burdens that contribute to nurse burnout. By streamlining scheduling and operational processes, AI can help nurses focus on what they do best—caring for patients. We have seen the benefits of how generative AI can help both nurses and health systems:
- Currently, 47% of healthcare executives report using AI for scheduling and administrative processes, with 22% believing AI will improve shift scheduling.
- Since we implemented our generative AI features, there has been a 20% increase in nurses accepting interview requests on the Incredible Health platform.
- More than half (53%) of healthcare executives are asking team members to use AI to increase operational efficiency within their health system
- Only 12% of healthcare executives reported nurses using AI for recommending patient care
A Collective Effort
Valerie Hernandez, Vice President of Talent Acquisition at Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist, highlights the collective effort required to address the nurse shortage:
Healthcare professionals, including nurses, play a crucial role not only within hospitals but also across the entire country. Our top priority is to adequately staff our facilities to ensure optimal patient care outcomes. We’re actively implementing innovative initiatives that will empower our teams. However, the ongoing nurse recruitment challenge remains an existential issue that all hospitals must address. We appreciate Incredible Health for working with us, and shedding light on the progress and challenges faced by hospitals and health systems today.
This collaboration to support healthcare professionals, aided by organizations like Incredible Health, is essential in navigating the future of nursing. By highlighting the challenges and solutions being implemented to changing nurses’ lives, we can work together to create a more stable and supportive healthcare system.
Looking Ahead
While the nursing shortage remains an ongoing challenge, the response and steps taken by healthcare executives inspire optimism. The increasing alignment between what nurses need and what healthcare executives are willing to offer, combined with the adoption of new technologies, provides a roadmap for a brighter future.
If your hospital is looking for a better way to hire and retain nurses, click here. Incredible Health’s award-winning marketplace technology helps your talent acquisition and nursing teams hire permanent, experienced nurses in 20 days or less, save an average of $5 million per year per facility, and improve nurse retention. With over 1 million US nurses using Incredible Health to manage their careers, 1,500 U.S. hospital locations trust Incredible Health with finding its most important resource: top, permanent nursing talent to deliver high-quality care.
If you’re a nurse looking to join 1 million nursing peers, and take control of your career, access Incredible Health’s suite of services for free, click here.
You can download the visual report that includes more data from the 2024 Healthcare Executive Report here.
Methodology
We surveyed executives from 100 hospitals and health systems in May 2024. Proprietary data from over 1,500 hospital locations using our platform was also included. Respondents included employers inside and outside the Incredible Health employer network. While anonymous, the survey included some of the largest health systems in the United States, academic medical centers, regional systems, community hospitals, in both urban and rural areas.
