About 20% of registered nurses are planning to retire within the next five years, a move that may worsen nurse staffing shortages, according to the 2019 AMN Survey of Registered Nurses. The survey includes input from more than 20,000 RNs who work multiple settings, including post-acute care.

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

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. 

Danger also is a concern for nurses, with 41% saying they have been victims of bullying, incivility or other forms of workplace violence. 

As part of its ongoing efforts to ease the U.S. paid caregiver shortage LeadingAge announced in December its International Migration of Aging and Geriatric Workers in Response to the Needs of Elders (IMAGINE) Initiative, which advocates for changes in immigration policies to allow more foreign-born workers to provide long-term care services.