Hospital staff turnover improved slightly in 2023 but remained a significant challenge for certain clinical roles, according to the American Hospital Association’s 2026 Environmental Scan report released Dec. 18.
The report, citing data from NSI Nursing Solutions, reveals that the national hospital staff turnover rate fell from 20.7% in 2023 to 18.3% in 2024. This decline points to early signs of stabilization within the healthcare workforce, particularly for registered nurses, where the average vacancy rate declined from 15.7% in 2023 to 9.6% this year
Despite this progress, certain roles still face retention challenges. Turnover for certified nursing assistants, patient care technicians and environmental services workers exceeded the national average in 2024. However, CNAs and care techs saw the largest year-over-year decreases in turnover, falling by 5.7 percentage points and 2.1 percentage points, respectively.
Five clinical and allied health roles with the highest turnover rates in 2024:
Note: The list includes a tie.
- Certified nursing assistants — 36.1%
- Patient care technicians — 34.2%
- Environmental services — 28.1%
- Registered nurses — 16.4%
Medical technologists — 16.4%
