In efforts to build and sustain a workforce that reflects the communities it serves, the US nursing workforce is becoming more diverse, however, keeping those nurses in the workforce is proving to be a major challenge. Between 2018 and 2022, the share of registered nurses leaving their primary jobs more than doubled. And among nurses who had recently entered the profession, job turnover increased from 17% to nearly 37%.

This article explores shifts in the sociodemographic characteristics and job dynamics of the nursing workforce before and after the COVID-19 pandemic and examines factors associated with leaving a primary job.