A survey of registered nurses found about 20% are planning to retire within the next five years indicating that staffing shortages could worsen. 

The findings were published in the 2019 AMN Survey of Registered Nurses. It includes input from more than 20,000 RNs who work multiple settings, including post-acute and acute care.

The survey revealed 27% of nurses believe it’s unlikely they’ll remain at their current job in one year. 

Increasing wages and offering additional benefits could be key in how well providers retain nurses. Thirty-one percent said compensation and benefits are the biggest influences on whether they’ll stay at their current organization. 

Workplace violence is also a key concern for nurses, with 41% saying they have been victims of bullying, incivility or other forms of workplace violence. Another 27% said they have witnessed workplace violence. Sixty-three percent of respondents said their organization did not address the situation well at all, while just 10% said their organization addressed the situation extremely well or very well. 

A proposed federal bill would require the Secretary of Labor to issue a final rule requiring healthcare and social services employers to develop and implement a comprehensive plan for protecting workers and other personnel from workplace violence. 

If passed, skilled nursing facilities and hospitals would be required to comply with it as a condition of partaking in the Medicare program. The bill, however, could cost providers billions, a Congressional Budget Office report estimated. 

On the brighter side, 81% of nurses said they’re satisfied with their career choice, and 70% said they would encourage others to become nurses. 

Forty-four percent, however, said they often feel like resigning from their jobs. They same amount of nurses also said they usually don’t have enough time to spend with their patients. 

Full survey results are available for download here.