Improving Patient Outcomes with Relationship-Based Care

With the US nursing shortage anticipated to grow to more than a quarter of a million by 2025,1 retention of registered nurses (RNs) has never been more important. Shortages in this decade are already staggering in the area of medical/surgical care, with a 14.1% national vacancy rate.2 As national turnover trends increase, nurses will become more mobile and more difficult to replace. Vacancy rates have wide-ranging impacts, including closed beds, restricted admissions, decreased quality of care, and higher costs to deliver care.3 The direct costs for recruiting replacement RNs is conservatively estimated at $10,000 per vacancy.3