The COVID-19 pandemic disrupted long-standing trends in the US nursing workforce. After years of steady growth, the number of registered nurses (RNs) in the workforce declined in 2021 but rebounded in 2022 and 2023. Faced with RN shortages, financial strain, and rising patient acuity, hospital leaders adopted alternative staffing models during the pandemic. These models redefined the roles of nurses and other health professionals as short-term solutions to meet evolving patient care needs.

This article examines trends in the use of RNs, licensed practical nurses (LPNs), and nursing assistive personnel in short-term general hospitals from 2017 to 2022, and how RN staffing intensity is influenced by time, hospital characteristics, and geographic factors.

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