Why your nurse quit

A new analysis published in Health Affairs Scholar finds that more than a quarter of registered nurses left their jobs within a single year, with job dissatisfaction emerging as the strongest predictor of turnover. Drawing on the National Sample Survey of Registered Nurses, researchers led by Amy Witkoski Stimpfel of NYU Rory Meyers College of Nursing found that unhappy nurses were 2.6 times more likely to leave their primary job, while burnout, holding multiple jobs, and pursuing additional degrees also pushed nurses toward the door. Each departure carries a steep price tag, costing employers tens of thousands of dollars in recruitment, hiring, and training.

The findings echo a broader pattern already showing up across health care. A recent Harris Poll survey found that more than half of health care workers are now eyeing new roles, citing burnout and limited career growth as top drivers — the same forces identified in the nursing study. And while education can be a pathway out the door for nurses chasing advancement, it's also part of the fix: employers that pair career-development support with flexible scheduling tend to see less of the burnout-driven churn fueling today's retention crisis.

For physician employers and practice leaders, the message is clear: job satisfaction, not just pay, is the lever most worth pulling to keep nurses on staff. Here are the key findings from the research: