RN Turnover Isn’t a Culture Problem, It’s an Operating Model Problem

Turnover among acute care RNs climbed for the fifth year in a row, and not just because clinicians are “burned out.” The deeper story is workload compression, staffing ratios, and support gaps that make 12-hour shifts feel like 16. We’re also seeing seasoned RNs exit hospitals for ambulatory settings, home health, infusion, and virtual care—roles that deliver clinical impact without the constant triage stress.

The implication for hospitals entering 2026: retention is no longer a pizza party problem. It’s about scope, ratios, onboarding support, and having leaders who buffer the operational chaos so clinicians can actually practice nursing.

Hathaway Healthcare Staffing is supporting this shift in two ways:

• Deploying interim bedside clinicians to stabilize staffing during spikes, and

• Placing leadership talent that can reduce turnover drivers (competency onboarding, float pool redesign, staffing models, etc.)

Explore how interim clinicians and nurse leaders reduce turnover pressures: www.hathawayhealthcarestaffing.com/blog

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