During National Nurses Week, the Coalition to Strengthen America’s Healthcare honors the indispensable role nurses play in delivering high-quality care and keeping hospitals and health systems running. Across the country, providers are taking a proactive approach to supporting nurses while strengthening the nursing pipeline.
Increasingly, hospital careers, nursing especially, have emerged as a reliable pathway to the middle class, offering competitive wages, upward mobility, and long-term stability. At the same time, the field continues to face significant workforce pressures, with the U.S. projected to see more than 193,000 registered nurse openings annually due to shortages and turnover. In recent years, the national nurse turnover rate has remained steady at 17.6%. Efforts like those shared below make a meaningful difference for patients, communities, and the healthcare workforce nationwide.
In Louisiana, Ochsner Health is helping open the door early through a youth apprenticeship program for high school students. In partnership with YouthForce NOLA and local education institutions, the program provides an earn-and-learn pathway where students gain hands-on clinical experience while completing their education. Participants graduate with credentials, workforce-ready skills, and a direct path into stable, well-paying careers.
For those entering and building their careers, AdventHealth in Florida is focused on retention and long-term growth. Through a systemwide clinical ladder program, the health system has reduced registered nurse turnover while creating clear advancement pathways for bedside nurses. This approach reinforces the value of frontline caregivers and enables career progression without requiring nurses to step away from patient care.
At the leadership level, Sanford Health in North Dakota is investing in the future of the profession through its Becky Nelson Fellowship. The program expands both clinical and operational leadership skills, preparing nurses to take on broader system-level responsibilities while remaining closely connected to patient care.
Together, these efforts reflect a broader national commitment to strengthening nursing at every stage of the career journey. As demand for care continues to grow, building and sustaining this pipeline will be essential to ensuring patients and communities can rely on consistent, high-quality care.