Attract & Retain Nurses 2025 | Strategies & Solutions
- The United States faces a growing crisis as the aging population increases while the number of nurses available to care for them dwindles.
- Whiffen emphasizes that proactive strategies are essential to avoid scrambling for limited nursing talent.
- With the Bureau of Labor Statistics projecting 193,100 openings for nurses annually through 2032 and an expected shortage of 63,720 full-time nurses by 2030, competition for talent is...
Confront the escalating nursing shortage head-on: boost your employer branding and transform the candidate experiance to secure top talent. The aging U.S. population and impending nurse retirements create a critical need for proactive strategies. To attract and retain nurses, healthcare systems must build a strong brand emphasizing workplace culture and prioritize work-life balance. Streamlining the submission process, offering mobile-friendly options, and leveraging AI-powered chatbots are crucial steps. By improving the candidate experience with these tactics, you can substantially increase your chances of success.News Directory 3 presents current strategies designed to help you. Discover what’s next in creating an environment where nurses thrive.
Nursing Shortage Demands Better Employer Branding and Candidate Experience
Updated June 08, 2025
The United States faces a growing crisis as the aging population increases while the number of nurses available to care for them dwindles. By 2030, the Census bureau projects that over 20% of Americans will be 65 or older, up from 17% in 2022. Concurrently, nearly 600,000 Baby Boomer nurses are expected to retire, exacerbating an already strained healthcare system. To combat this looming nursing shortage,healthcare systems must prioritize employer branding and modernize the candidate experience,according to Michelle Whiffen,SVP of Client Services at HireClix.
Whiffen emphasizes that proactive strategies are essential to avoid scrambling for limited nursing talent. “We’re no longer in an era where it’s acceptable for the candidate and employee experience to be an afterthought,” Whiffen said. “as the most valuable asset to any organization, approaching the workforce from a people-first viewpoint is always the right call.”
With the Bureau of Labor Statistics projecting 193,100 openings for nurses annually through 2032 and an expected shortage of 63,720 full-time nurses by 2030, competition for talent is fierce. A strong employer brand, built on reputation, workplace culture, career growth, and work-life balance, is crucial to attract candidates. Nurses seek employers who prioritize their well-being, offering mental health resources, mentorship programs, and long-term support.
Whiffen suggests that showcasing these differentiators across diverse platforms is key. Engaging potential candidates on platforms like Spotify, TikTok, and YouTube, using audio and video to highlight nurse testimonials and workplace culture, can resonate positively.
Attracting candidates is only part of the solution; a streamlined candidate experience is equally vital. With most nurses applying for jobs on their phones, healthcare employers must offer mobile-friendly applications. Simplifying applications to under five minutes and reducing redundant inputs can significantly decrease drop-off rates.
Implementing text-based interview scheduling and AI-powered chatbots to answer common questions can also improve the candidate experience. “In the race to modernize the application process, it’s the little things that make a difference in conversions,” Whiffen noted.
Healthcare systems that fail to address the nursing shortage risk struggling to provide care for vulnerable populations. by respecting nurses’ time, supporting their well-being, and simplifying the hiring process, healthcare organizations can better navigate the impending crisis.
What’s next
Healthcare systems should immediately assess and improve their employer branding and candidate experience to effectively compete for and retain nursing talent,ensuring adequate care for the aging population.