1.15 Million RNs With Licenses Not Working Due to Retention Crisis

1.15 Million Licensed RNs Not Active in Nursing Field

According to National Nurses United (NNU), the largest union representing registered nurses in the United States, approximately 1.15 million registered nurses (RNs) with active licenses are currently not employed in nursing roles. This figure was derived by comparing recent data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, published on May 15, with concurrent data from the National Council of the State Boards of Nursing (NCSBN).

The NNU has issued a fact sheet titled “There Is No Nurse Shortage”, urging employers and policymakers to prioritize the recruitment and retention of these 1.15 million nurses back into the healthcare workforce to address significant challenges within the profession.

“The data is clear that the U.S. nursing profession has a retention crisis, not a nurse shortage,” stated NNU President Jamie Brown, RN. “We want the public to know that our working conditions are so unsafe and unsustainable that they are driving new and experienced nurses away from hospitals, both large and small. Hospital employers have the power to immediately address the retention crisis by taking concrete steps to improve patient care conditions, including improving RN-to-patient ratios and providing appropriate support to caregivers.”

Peer-reviewed medical journals over recent years have highlighted a systematic lack of investment in safe, quality patient care, as corroborated by the experiences of RNs nationwide.

Brown elaborated: “It’s not uncommon for nurses to experience the never-ending cycle of training a new nurse, only for them to leave after six months because of the intolerable conditions. Then, they have to repeat the process, while still managing a full patient load, until they can’t take it anymore and leave as well. It’s also not uncommon for nurses with less than a year of experience to take on the role of preceptor, or trainer, because experienced nurses are leaving the profession. That’s unacceptable and needs to be solved.”

The NNU promotes RN-to-patient ratios as a solution, citing extensive academic research that demonstrates how such ratios save patient lives and enhance nurse retention.

In 2025, the Nurse Staffing Standards for Hospital Patient Safety and Quality Care Act (S. 1709, H.R. 3415) was introduced to Congress. This legislation is inspired by California’s nurse-to-patient ratio law, which was the first nationwide requirement implemented over two decades ago and remains unique in mandating such standards across all hospital units. Research consistently shows the law has led to improved nurse satisfaction and patient outcomes.

Further details are available in the NNU fact sheet: “There is No Nurse Shortage.”

National Nurses United is the largest and fastest-growing union and professional association of registered nurses in the United States with more than 225,000 members nationwide. NNU affiliates include California Nurses Association/National Nurses Organizing Committee, DC Nurses Association, Michigan Nurses Association, Minnesota Nurses Association, and New York State Nurses Association.

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