Nurse Turnover 2026: What $5.19M Per Hospital Means for Indian Country

Nurse Turnover 2026 data just dropped, and every hospital now averages a $5.19 million annual loss!

Nurse Turnover 2026 Climbs to 17.6% Nationwide

According to the 2026 NSI National Health Care Retention & RN Staffing Report, staff RN turnover climbed 1.2 points to 17.6% in 2025. As a result, last year’s decline has fully reversed. Notably, the survey covered 527 hospitals across 40 states and 262,405 registered nurses. Furthermore, the average cost of a single RN turnover now sits at $60,090. Consequently, each individual hospital loses between $4.2 million and $6.2 million annually. Moreover, each percentage point swing moves the bottom line by $295,000 per year.

IHS Vacancy Rate Hits 30% Amid the Nurse Turnover Crisis

Nationally, 43 RN full-time equivalents sit unfilled at the average hospital. Additionally, the U.S. nursing shortage is estimated at 158,600 RNs. However, the pressure intensifies inside the Indian Health Service. According to StaffDNA, over 1,000 IHS employees departed in 2025. Therefore, the agency’s vacancy rate now stands at 30%. Meanwhile, North Dakota, New Hampshire, New Mexico, Alaska, and South Dakota carry the highest ratio of unfilled roles per capita. By 2030, physician ranks are projected to drop another 23% due to retirements. Surgical facilities serving Our Relatives face the steepest gaps.

RN Recruitment Delays Worsen Nurse Turnover 2026 Losses

Currently, the RN Recruitment Difficulty Index sits at 78 days. Telemetry positions take 87 days to fill. Similarly, med/surg takes 83. In addition, behavioral health leads all specialties in turnover at 22.5%, followed by emergency services at 20.7%. Travel nurse rates average $91 per hour and range to $160. Accordingly, every 20 travel RNs replaced saves roughly $1,322,000 in the first year alone. For more on IHS workforce trends, see our Ellsworth staffing insights.

Ellsworth Delivers Culturally Competent Staffing for Indian Country

Ellsworth is a Native owned small business and ISBEE-certified staffing partner. In short, we recruit experienced Native practitioners and allied professionals who understand culture awareness. We serve elders across tribal and IHS facilities. Partner with Ellsworth today to protect your margin and your mission!