The nursing shortage has been discussed for decades, but in 2026 the issue is far from over.

An aging population, retiring healthcare workers, growing demand for medical care, burnout, and regional workforce shortages continue to put pressure on hospitals, clinics, long-term care facilities, and other healthcare organizations throughout the United States.

At the same time, the nursing shortage isn’t as simple as saying America is short a certain number of nurses everywhere. Some parts of the country have a much greater need than others.

Are Nurses Still in Demand?

Yes.

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics projects employment of registered nurses to grow 5% from 2024 through 2034, faster than the average for all occupations.

Even more significant, approximately 189,100 RN job openings are projected each year during that period. Many of those openings will result from nurses retiring, changing occupations, or otherwise leaving the workforce.

That means healthcare organizations don’t simply need nurses for newly created jobs. They also need a steady supply of nurses to replace those leaving existing positions.

Is There Really a Nursing Shortage?

Yes, but the shortage is not evenly distributed.

Federal workforce projections from the Health Resources and Services Administration anticipate continued shortages of registered nurses nationally through 2038.

HRSA currently projects a nationwide shortage of approximately 108,960 full-time-equivalent registered nurses by 2038. Rural and nonmetropolitan communities are expected to experience particularly significant challenges, with an estimated 11% RN shortage in nonmetropolitan areas, compared with about 2% in metropolitan areas.

Some states are also projected to experience much larger shortages than others.

This means a nurse may encounter a very different employment market depending on where they live, their specialty, and the healthcare setting in which they work.

Why Does the Nursing Shortage Continue?

There isn’t one single cause.

Several forces are occurring at the same time.

An Aging Population

As Americans live longer, more people require healthcare services for chronic illnesses, surgeries, rehabilitation, home health, and long-term care.

The aging Baby Boomer generation is increasing demand for healthcare at the same time many experienced nurses are approaching retirement themselves.

Nurses Are Leaving the Workforce

Retirement isn’t the only reason nursing positions become available.

Nurses may move into different healthcare roles, reduce their hours, change careers, or leave bedside nursing because of workload and burnout.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics notes that a large portion of projected RN openings will come from the need to replace workers who leave the occupation or labor force.

Nursing Schools Have Limits Too

Training more nurses sounds like an obvious solution, but nursing schools face their own challenges.

Programs need qualified faculty, clinical training sites, classroom space, and other resources before they can expand enrollment.

The American Association of Colleges of Nursing continues to identify nursing-school capacity and faculty shortages as important obstacles to producing enough new nurses to meet workforce demand.

What Does a Nursing Shortage Mean for Patient Care?

Adequate staffing matters because nurses are involved in nearly every part of patient care.

Nurses monitor patients, administer medications, communicate changes in condition, coordinate care, educate families, perform procedures, and respond when emergencies occur.

When staffing becomes stretched, each nurse may be responsible for more patients and competing priorities.

That can contribute to:

• Increased workload

• Greater physical and emotional stress

• Less time available for individual patients

• Higher risk of burnout

• Difficulty filling shifts

• Increased reliance on overtime or temporary staffing

The effects can ripple throughout an organization. Nursing shortages don’t affect only nurses. They can affect physicians, other healthcare professionals, hospital operations, and ultimately the patients receiving care.

Rural Communities Face an Even Bigger Challenge

One of the most important changes in how we understand today’s nursing shortage is recognizing that location matters.

HRSA projects that by 2038 the RN shortage will be substantially greater in nonmetropolitan communities than in metropolitan areas.

A major metropolitan hospital and a rural community hospital may therefore face very different staffing realities.

This is also why national numbers don’t tell the entire story.

Nursing Still Offers Significant Career Opportunities

For someone considering nursing as a career, continued demand can translate into opportunities across many healthcare environments.

Registered nurses work in:

• Hospitals

• Medical clinics

• Emergency departments

• Surgery centers

• Long-term care facilities

• Home healthcare

• Schools

• Public health

• Rehabilitation facilities

• Hospice and palliative care

• Community health organizations

Advanced nursing roles are expanding even faster. The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects employment of nurse practitioners, nurse anesthetists, and nurse midwives to grow 35% between 2024 and 2034.

Healthcare needs aren’t disappearing, and nurses remain at the center of delivering that care.

CPR Skills Are an Important Part of Healthcare Training

Nursing students and working nurses are frequently required to maintain Basic Life Support (BLS) certification as part of their education, clinical requirements, or employment.

BLS training prepares healthcare professionals to respond to cardiac arrest and other life-threatening emergencies using CPR, AEDs, rescue breathing, and team-based resuscitation skills.

In-Pulse CPR provides American Heart Association BLS Provider classes for nursing students, nurses, and other healthcare professionals.

Find an Upcoming BLS CPR Class Near You

Whether you’re preparing to enter nursing school, beginning clinical rotations, or renewing your certification as an experienced nurse, maintaining strong CPR and BLS skills is an important part of being prepared for a medical emergency.

The Nursing Shortage Isn’t Going Away Overnight

Predictions made years ago about the nursing shortage didn’t perfectly forecast today’s workforce, and future projections will continue to change.

What is clear in 2026 is that healthcare organizations continue to need nurses, tens of thousands of RN positions must be filled each year, and shortages remain particularly significant in certain states and rural communities.

For future nurses, that continuing demand also means an opportunity to enter a profession that remains essential to American healthcare.

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Updated 2026: This article has been substantially revised and updated in 2026 using current nursing workforce projections from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the Health Resources and Services Administration, and the American Association of Colleges of Nursing. Older projections and links from the original article have been removed or replaced with current workforce information.

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