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While planned retirement topped the list of reasons for nurses leaving healthcare, failures by employers also played a role, according to a cross-sectional study that analyzed survey data.

Among nearly 7,900 nurses who left the healthcare field in Illinois and New York from 2018 to 2021, 39% attributed their decision to a planned retirement, with others citing:

● Burnout or emotional exhaustion (26%)
● Insufficient staffing (21%)
● Family obligations (18%)
● Concerns related to COVID-19 (17%)
● Unsafe working conditions (13%)

Of the 4,906 nurses who retired, as opposed to being unemployed or working in non-healthcare industries, 41% ended their employment in healthcare due to reasons other than planned retirement, including burnout or emotional exhaustion (22%) and insufficient staffing (18%), reported K. Jane Muir, PhD, RN, of the Center for Health Outcomes and Policy Research at the University of Pennsylvania School of Nursing in Philadelphia, and co-authors in JAMA Network Open.

While the survey was conducted during the pandemic, COVID-19 wasn't the top factor for leaving. Head over to MedPage Today to read more about it.