The Nursing Shortage is Real—But So Are the Solutions

April 17, 2025

McKinsey & Company warned us in 2022: the U.S. could face a shortfall of up to 450,000 nurses by 2025. And today, we’re already 295,000 nurses short—a crisis impacting every corner of our healthcare system.

The numbers are staggering. While nursing demand has increased by 3%, the supply has only crept up by **1%. The result? Burnout, patient delays, and mounting pressure on healthcare teams.

According to HRSA data, the 10 states projected to experience the worst shortages by 2037 are:

  • Idaho & Georgia – 17% short

  • Oklahoma & California – 18%

  • South Carolina, Michigan, New Mexico – 19%

  • Maryland – 20%

  • North Carolina & Washington – 22%

But as Dr. Dayna Scott Vidal reminds us: we are not helpless.

What Can Nurse Leaders Do Right Now?

  1. Invest in New Grads
    Treat orientation like your license depends on it. The future of nursing starts with how we welcome and train the next generation.

  2. Mentor with Intention
    Be the nurse you needed when you were starting out. Share wisdom. Build confidence. Mentor like your legacy depends on it.

  3. Cut the Toxicity
    Work environments matter. Every leader has the power—and responsibility—to remove toxic culture before it drives nurses out.

Why This Matters

This crisis isn’t just about staffing ratios. It’s about humans. Nurses are the beating heart of patient care. And when nurses disappear… so does the care.

Let’s fix that.

Join the movement.
Mentor. Advocate. Lead.
And if you're hiring nurses, make it more than a transaction—make it a mission.

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