🩺 Workforce Exit Surveys: What Nurses Are Really Saying in 2025

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Hospitals may be hiring, but they’re also losing nurses at an alarming rate. Exit surveys from across the country in 2025 are shedding light on why so many nurses are walking away—and the trends are too consistent to ignore.

📊 Top Reasons Nurses Are Leaving

• Burnout & Stress: Overwhelming patient loads and administrative burden remain the #1 drivers.

• Workplace Violence: A growing number of nurses cite feeling unsafe on the job.

• Pay & Benefits Gaps: Wage freezes and reduced agency pay have pushed many toward alternative careers.

• Lack of Career Growth: Limited advancement opportunities and stalled promotions are fueling exits.

• Work-Life Balance: Nurses are increasingly unwilling to sacrifice family and mental health for shift work.

🗣️ What Nurses Are Saying

• “It wasn’t the patients—it was the system.”

• “I wanted to stay, but I couldn’t keep working double shifts without support.”

• “My license felt more at risk every day due to unsafe staffing.”

🔍 What This Means for Employers

• Retention > Recruitment: Simply hiring more isn’t the answer—keeping experienced staff must be the focus.

• Flexible Schedules Matter: Per diem and gig-style models are keeping some nurses engaged.

• Safety is Non-Negotiable: Hospitals must address violence and security gaps to rebuild trust.

🚀 Moving Forward

Exit survey data offers a roadmap for change. By addressing burnout, safety, and career development, healthcare systems can slow the revolving door and rebuild a more sustainable nursing workforce.

At America Needs Nurses, we are committed to elevating the voices of nurses and helping employers design retention strategies that actually work.

💙
America Needs Nurses Team

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