Survey Reveals That Nearly Half of U.S. Nurses Plan to Change Jobs in the Next Two Years

CHICAGO -- In the face of a growing nurse shortage, hospitals  and healthcare organizations may need to prescribe new treatments for  employee retention.  Forty-nine percent of nurses say they plan to leave  their current jobs in the next two years, according to the latest survey from  CareerBuilder.com, the nation's largest online job site with more than 20  million unique visitors and over 1 million jobs.  Thirty-two percent expect to  change jobs in a year and 18 percent plan to do so in as early as the next six

months.  The CareerBuilder.com survey, "Nurses and Job Satisfaction 2005" was conducted June 24-29,  2005.

The top reason why nurses say they are seeking out new employers is an unmanageable workload.  Nearly three-fourths of nurses report their facilities are understaffed, contributing to high stress levels, compromised patient care, department overcrowding and closing of beds.  Sixty-seven percent say their workloads have increased over the last six months and 59 percent say they are feeling burnout. 

"The U.S. Department of Labor is projecting there will be a need for 1 million new and replacement nurses by 2012," said Matt Ferguson, CEO of CareerBuilder.com. "However, more than 30 states are already experiencing a shortage of nurses, especially in areas requiring highly specialized skill sets and the ability to lead multi-disciplinary teams.  In order to attract qualified nurses and keep them, hospitals and healthcare organizations need to be cognizant of what nurses consider to be essential in cultivating a

positive work experience."

When asked to identify the type of healthcare facility they would most want to work for, nearly one-in-four nurses selected doctors' offices.  Hospitals came in second as the most ideal employer followed by clinics and pharmaceutical sales companies. 

The most important attributes nurses say potential employers need to advertise about themselves to get them to apply for an open position include:

-- Competitive salary and benefits

-- Flexible schedules

-- Stability and profitability

-- Demonstrated recognition of employees

-- Programs for a healthy work/life balance

Source: CareerBuilder.com