Editor’s note: Responses have been lightly edited for clarity and length.
Carolyn Santora, RN. Chief Nursing Officer and Chief of Regulatory Affairs at Stony Brook (N.Y.) University Hospital: Ultimately, retaining experienced nurses—even in alternative capacities—is key to navigating this transition. Hospitals need to be proactive in offering flexible career paths that keep nurses engaged beyond traditional bedside roles. Whether that’s through per diem work, virtual nursing, education, or supervisory roles, we have to ensure their wisdom and expertise aren’t lost. We owe it to both our retiring nurses and our new nurses to create a stronger, more sustainable workforce.
Veronica Scott-Fulton, DNP. Chief Nurse Executive at Bon Secours Mercy Health (Cincinnati) : Our experienced nurses play a vital role in mentoring younger nurses to speak up and advocate for change — whether it’s ensuring continued daycare services for staff or improving patient care. Sometimes, nurses don’t want to hear advice from an executive or director — but they will listen to a respected peer who has been in their shoes. That’s why these mentorship programs are so important. Our seasoned nurses help shape the future of the profession by instilling confidence and leadership skills in the next generation.
Greg Till. Chief People Officer at Providence (Renton, Wash.): At Providence, we aren’t making these changes to boost revenue or cut costs. Our goal is simple: Keep experienced nurses engaged for as long as they want to work; ensure every nurse can practice at the top of their license; give nurses agency in how their profession evolves.
Syl Trepanier, DNP, RN. Chief Nursing Officer at Providence (Renton, Wash.): I’ve been a nurse for 36 years, and the entire world has changed — except the way we do the work. Technology, medications, and even AI have transformed healthcare, but if you walk into a hospital today, the way nurses provide care looks almost the same as it did 30 years ago. That’s a problem. Nurses are switching jobs constantly. Systems have tried adjusting benefits and pay, but the one thing we haven’t changed is the work itself. We’ve finally reached a tipping point where leaders recognize that if we don’t redesign nursing workflows, we will continue to struggle with burnout and turnover. We aren’t talking enough about the nursing retirement crisis that’s coming in the next five years. The number of retiring nurses will far exceed the number entering the profession. We cannot afford to keep doing things the same way. Our biggest risk isn’t the aging workforce — it’s the status quo. If we don’t redesign the work, we won’t just see retirements — we’ll see massive attrition across all levels of nursing. Now is the time to empower nurses to reshape their own profession.